Dead Man Walking
by Ar-Kaos
Summary: Will be a Ranma crossover xcomdarkish military themes .Trust me read it, you don't need to know the game. Not RA.First arc finished. To be continued in 'From Heaven's Hand'
1. Grey Morning

"Rain, just great!" thought Nabiki as she looked out of her window. She was lying on her bed chewing the end of a pencil as she attempted to do her books. They weren't balancing. "Going to have at gouge Kuno some more. Oh well nothing else for it." She shut the book with a resounding sigh. Things just hadn't been the same since that lazy fat ass Genma had come to stay. Every effort over the last few years had been swallowed up by the monster appetite of her father's 'oldest friend.' College had become just another pipe dream, sure she could get a scholarship easy enough, but without her here to curb the idiot twins the house would belong to the bank in weeks if not days.

"Crash" the noise echoed across the compound, accompanied by a slight quake as the building shook. "Akane!" Nabiki practically spat the name. The indirect source of so many of her other woes. Little miss "I am a martial artist" was smashing things in the dojo again, as if she needed the practice destroying things. Again Nabiki wondered if she should have just let the Dojo Destroyer keep the goddamn sign. But no the school was her father's legacy and she could no more do that than tell Akane how she had been rigging her fights for years. Even dojo destroyers had things they did not want others to know, things like for instance being christened 'Dorothy.'

"To the joining of the schools" "Kampai" the idiot twins shouted, getting drunk again despite the lack of funds. God she could just hate those men sometimes. Genma had convinced her father that his sons would turn up any day now, then they could get their heirs to marry and all would be right with the world. Idiots. That had been six years ago and still it was "any day now."

There was a knocking at her door "Nabiki-chan are you in?" her father.

"Yes dad what is it?"

"Could you come down please, there is great news"

"Of course" Nabiki replied her heart sinking just a little more, some new scheme to cause the family more grief no doubt.

In the distance she heard her father calling Akane and then the little princess' terse reply. "One, two, three, right on time" her father burst into tears right on time. Nabiki mouthed along with the words

"WAAAAH, my daughter hates me"

"No dad, I was just practicing" Akane said, Nabiki counted off her fingers two three…

"WAAAAAH! My daughter is so dedicated, I'm so proud!"

"Yadda yadda yah" Nabiki filled in. Always the same, a never-ending tale of the tragic supporting the blind. But they were family, so on with the show.

Thank you for coming down girls' Soun said as he took his place at the head of the table. As usual Genma sat opposite and the two remaining girls on either side.

Father paused to heighten the dramatics, Genma just smirked

"Today I received a letter from Ranma, it seems that he is finally coming to visit." Soun sat back with a huge grin on his face.

Akane's reaction was predictable as ever, a smug look at her sister to say "I told you so" followed by a theatrical sigh "Guess I finally get to meet my fiancé then. When does the waster arrive?"

"The letter says that he will be arriving this evening on the 6 o'clock train. Says he will find his own way here."

"In that case I will go and get cleaned up" said Akane.

Nabiki could see where this was heading, and there was no way she was cooking dinner for this new guest. Better that this was nipped in the bud, "Akane why don't you put the dinner on first?" Nabiki suggested .

Soun and Genma blanched and started to stammer reasons for Nabiki to do it instead, as usual.

"After all you have been trying so hard at your cooking. I think he deserves to get his first meal here from his future bride doesn't he"

Akane, rather predictably, jumped at the chance to show off her newfound 'culinary expertise.' "yes of course, ill make that new pesto chicken surprise, now where did I put the baking soda…"

"Now if you will excuse me I have some calls to make" Nabiki left, barely containing her own laughter. "that should get rid of the sap"

The fathers rapidly got over their fear and decided to drown it in alcohol and a few games of shogi.

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"This is the place " A young man stood outside the entrance to the Tendo-ke, "looks comfy. "Let me see, challengers round the back, guests please ring bell" okay bell it is." He rang the bell and stood waiting patiently.

He was dressed in a red silk shirt of Chinese design , black cargo trousers and combat boots. His hair was black, tied in a pigtail and hung down to his waist. The expression on his face was calm and even, controlled and peaceful. Only his eyes showed different, instead being made of turbulent blue grey clouds. The stance was relaxed yet something told of coiled energy. Over his shoulder was a kit bag made of kaki green canvas.

The door opened to reveal the familiar form of Nabiki, dressed in a formal kimono and looking at him appraisingly. "Saotome Ranma I presume"

Ranma bowed respectfully " Yes maam, I was told that I might find my father here?"

"inside, please follow me." Nabiki led the way consciously giving her backside an extra sway. She turned to wait for him to change into some guest slippers, she noticed his eyes dropping and congratulated herself with a quick smile, "yep still got it she thought"

The sexy girl with the impressive ass led Ranma into the front room where he could see another girl and two older men. The girl was cute in a childish sort of way but his attention was immediately drawn to the fat balding, gi-clad waster at the far end.

"Ojai" Ranma whispered, temperature dropping well past freezing. "how good to see you again" he said louder. Nabiki's right eyebrow shot up this was going to be far more interesting than she had thought.With glacial force Ranma stalked towards his father, fists tightening..

"Son you don't know how happy I am to see you at last" Soun exclaimed and leapt in for a bone crushing hug. Ranma's hand was suddenly in the way

"Excuse me Tendo-san but my father and I have some things to discuss with my father."

"Hell-lo boy, howareyou, fancymeetingyouherewouldyou' smack Ranma ended his father's rant with a straight arm to the jaw, propelling his father out onto the patio.

"OI!" Akane was right on cue, "just who do you think you are? You come into this house and attack one of our guests. Well perhaps someone ought to…" then she noticed that the man in question was no longer paying attention to her. "HEY you look at me when i…" infuriated she swung out a hard blow to his… "huh how'd you move so fast" swing swing swing "stop ….dodging…"

Nabiki was trying hard not to laugh, there was this random guy, just in off the street, and instead of falling goggly-eyed over the little princess he had first dismissed her and then proceeded to back it up by ignoring her best efforts to 're-educate' him.

"Look Little Girl, give it up." Ranma said tiredly

"Gonna …..squash ……you….. like…. a bug!" replied Akane, despite her obvious inability to do so. " I am the best!" seconds later she was on her ass next to the opposite wall, looking up dumbly at Ranma's outstretched arm.

"Shhh!" Ranma put one finger to his lips and tried again to shut the brat up. He quickly spared glance for the human waterfall that was the Tendo patriarch, and rapidly discounted him. "Now dad where were we?" with a quick two-step he caught up with the fat man's not so subtle escape attempt. "I believe we were about to discuss the details of our last separation."

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Some significant time later the Tendo family plus their new guest were sat around the dining table (the wasted still 'resting' out in the yard, in the rain.

"you want me to marry the little wannabe? Oh I don't think so. Whatever butt-wad promised you, you can extract out of his ass, I made a rule a long time ago, you make a deal with HIM, then HE pays."

"It is a matter of honour boy!" Soun interjected

"Your honour and his, not mine." Ranma countered "the alternative is that friend of yours finally does the honourable thing and commits seppuku. Its up to you." Ranma finished with a shrug. " I came here to get some info out of the fat man and kick back for a few days. I had hoped that, hell I don't know what I had hoped but this s not it.

"Tendo-san thank-you for your hospitality." Ranma stood and bowed. "now I am out of here" he said emphatically.

"Good riddance" murmured Akane.

Ranma was just getting to the door when Soun said "wait" and then louder "wait!"

"Ranma please wait. Perhaps things have gotten a little ahead of themselves. And for that I apologise. Please at least stay for dinner-

"Ack dinner.." Akane flew into the kitchen, revealing clouds of black smoke.

"I'll order some" Nabiki put in, and then looked at Ranma "how many am I ordering for?"

"Okay, I never say no to free food."


	2. Trouble in Heaven

**Chapter 2**

The four of them still conscious were sitting around the Tendo dining table, Akane still muttering curses at the kitchen equipment, it was obviously out to get her, no doubt all part of some perverted plot. Soun was reading the paper occasionally glancing over at his beaten-pandafied-pretzellated friend, who remained in the garden soaking up still more rain. Ranma was seated next to her, with his eyes closed and his hands lightly resting on his knees. Nabiki was passing out food from the delivery-box, keeping watch on Ranma out of the corner of her eye. She had the strange impression of something akin to a bomb, an explosion waiting only for a fuse. The level of violence the young man had perpetrated on his father was just way out beyind her experience. Sure Nerima was nuts and crazy martial artists were constantly trying to kill one another but rarely so casually, or with such clinical force.

"Chow-mein Ranma-san?" she asked

"Thanks Nabiki-san. Smells great" he replied, coming out of his reverie.

"So you gonna tell us what your problem with your father is? Or would you rather play twenty questions?" the other two perked up, curiosity overtaking their other concerns.

"Nah its okay. It all goes back a few years, the fat man dumped me in a really bad situation, ran for his life, instead of helping me to save some folks who needed it."

"China?"

"yeah. We were on our way back from Jusenko and the mess he created at the Joketsu Amazon village. We found ourselves in the middle of a firefight, a very one-sided one. Some 'insurgents' were attacking a mountain village, a few of the villagers had guns but nothing like the skill they needed to put them to good use. I spent my time trying to get innocents to safety, and stooped a shot in the process. Oaji had legged it. Last I saw of him was a dustcloud heading for the horizon. In contrast the girl who had been chasing us since the Amazon village was desperately trying to herd villagers into the tree line. I would like to say that running was a rare lapse in character for the old man but I don't see any reason to lie for him." The last was said with venom and a glance over at the still twitching mound in the garden.

"So what happened afterwards?" Nabiki asked.

"A response team was soon on the scene soon after. Later they told me I knocked two of them out before they got into the cellar I was guarding. I have to take their word for it cuz by that point I was delirious from delayed shock and blood loss. They took me and the girl, Xian Pu, with them when they bugged out, got us to the docs in time to stave off any permanent damage."

"Wait, Shampoo, what sort of dumb-ass name is that?" sneered Akane.

" The sort of name that belonged to the first woman I loved and probably the bravest person I will ever know." Ranma replied coldly

"Gomen, I didn't mean… I mean I –

"Its okay, I used to laugh too. Just don't expect me to respect you for it."

"WHAT do you mean by that?" Akane demanded. Ranma just ignored her again.

"What happened to her? If you don't mind telling us" Nabiki asked.

"She decided that a live prisoner was worth more than a live Amazon. She saved its life at the cost of her own, and quite possibly saved a great many others in the process." Ranma's voice had grown quiet, wistful. "Still sucks though," He finished.

"You loved her." Nabiki stated, it was not a question.

"Very much."

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After dinner the group split up, Akane to catch her cooking program on the TV, (Iron Chef's indeed, she never saw one of the idiots use any, amateurs), Soun to the shogi board, to meet the recovering Genma, and Nabiki following Ranma to the Dojo.

Ranma was pleasantly surprised, the dojo was well kept and still projected a sense of history. His eyes were quickly drawn to the small shrine at one end. A picture of an attractive young woman was the centrepiece. She bore a slight resemblance to the girls from inside.

"My mother, she died when we were little. Dad has never really been the same since. Believe it or not he used to be a happy, stable man, dedicated to his twin loves of the art and his wife, although not in that order." Nabiki said, barely above a whisper, a wry smile across her face. "You like the dojo?" she asked, ever so subtly changing the subject.

Ranma didn't miss the hint, "Yeah, you can feel the past in here. Almost as if the walls soaked up the …." Ranma trailed off.

"Just a shame it is all in the past." Nabiki added, slowly moving around the room and leaning against the far wall. "I remember coming in as a kid and watching my parents practice, two parts flirt to one part art. I think that they said everything they ever needed to say to each other right here. And now nothing, just one silly little girl who should be past this."

"Leave her what dreams she has, too many people out there have to grow up before they are ready as is." Ranma said, leaning against the opposite wall. "Someday soon she will have to start taking responsibility for herself, supporting herself. Daddy can't bail her out forever."

"Hah, daddy nothing, it's been Kasumi and I since mum went away," interjected Nabiki, with no small amount of bitterness.

"You serious, how do you manage, last I heard Japan wasn't exactly easy for women to make their break in?" Ranma, to her surprise, looked genuinely concerned. "Fatso's visit can't of helped."

"No he hasn't, not one bit, not in all the years he has been here."

"Years, just how long has that leech been attached?" Ranma said, his ire growing visibly.

"Got here straight from China, said you would be right behind him. Does nothing but eat, drink and play shogi. We're on the edge of losing the place and all he cares about is whether there is enough saki in the cupboard and when Kasumi is coming round to cook for the lazy, FAT …" she visibly pulled herself back, biting down her anger and resentment, tucking her chin in. Ranma was suddenly in front of her lifting her chin back up.

"Don't stop on my account" he said, with a catch in his voice. She looked straight into his eyes. Blue and grey clouds swirled alternating between humour and something…else. The silence stretched. Each could feel the others breath on their face, he seemed just as lost as her. Suddenly he seemed to realise where he was, what he was doing. He drew his hand back with a snap and, stepping back a pace bowed his head. "Sorry Nabiki I –

"Its okay, I'll charge you for it later." She said with a teasing smile on her face. She looked again, and verified that yes indeed the big hard soldier man was blushing. "Something wrong Saotome? Too warm in here?" he mumbled something and moved away back to his wall. "You say something Saotome?"

"Hey leave it out" he replied, not at all like a schoolboy.

"What if I don't, what you gonna do, spank me?" she was looking at him through hr bangs now, her body slightly turned. Pose number thirty-five 'kinky and mysterious.' The body language she was getting in return was worth every moment. He couldn't even meet her eyes. She started stalking across the room towards him. "have I been a bad girrl? " she purred. Even though he was trying not to look his eyes were repeatedly drawn back to the girl coming towards him. Then she arrived, one hand pushing lightly on his chest, she turned her head up looking him in the eyes, her lips slowly parted and she…. Stepped back laughing. "gotcha Saotome." Then she was gone, before he could see the effect he had had on her.

Ranma leaned his head back against the dojo wall "bitch. Sexy as hell. But definitely a bitch."

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As Ranma was getting ready for bed there was a knock at the door. "Come," he said, turning towards the entrance.

"just came to check that you have got everything you need Saotome" Nabiki said as she walked in. Then she stopped, leaning on the half-open door, "Looking good. You do know that in Japan me don't normally ask women into their rooms wearing only their boxers? It is considered 'impolite'"

"Doesn't seem to be stopping you looking. You sure you wouldn't like to turn the main light on, get a better look?" he retorted, and then reached to stop her. Once again he found himself a lot closer than he had planned, bare millimetres separating the two of them.

"What's this, you getting fresh Saotome?" she teased, one eyebrow slowly rising. She slowly extended a hand and ran her nails down his chest. "mmmm" she purred, "shall I shut the door?"

"Gurr-ack umm er" he replied intelligently.

"Too late" she whispered, then turned and left. Leaving Ranma to shut the door and finally breathe out.

"Teasing Bitch."

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Nabiki woke early the next morning, too early. "Goddamn martial artist bastard." She pulled the pillow over her head to muffle the noise coming from the yard. This just was not fair.

Out in the yard Ranma went through another kata, sweat running down his brow as he pushed himself still harder. Every move tightly controlled, power combining with speed and accuracy to create a deadly dance. Akane, watching from the veranda, was enough of a martial artist to fill in the locations of the imaginary opponents, and was frowning.

Genma, having spent an uncomfortable night 'asleep' in the dojo after his son had 'discussed' the idea of him contributing to the household, walked over to where she stood. He was rubbing his back. He looked up at his son and shook his head. As he turned to walk away Akane stopped him.

"That doesn't look like kenpo" she said.

"Its not pure kenpo, its not pure at all." He sighed

"What do you mean?" she demanded, is this more of Happosai's perverted hentai.-" her eyes were lighting up, the red haze slowly covering her eyes.

"No!" Genma exclaimed quickly, yellow streak showing bold. "that's not it at all. It's something else."

"WHAT!" demanded volcano Akane

"Well, uh Asktheboy, byenow, gotta run, gotta get a job or something." Genma ran. Akane's head whipped around towards the pigtailed hero. She stomped towards him hand twitching for the mallet that fit it.

She moved in, now just a few feet away, and gathered her breath to shout. Only to find his hand, held knife edged, stopped bare millimetres from her windpipe. She looked at it and then along his arm, into his eyes. Death, she saw her death reflected there, it had taken an effort of will NOT to kill her. She fell on her ass, suddenly sweating. He looked at her for a second, smiled and then returned to his kata. Akane slowly stood up and then bolted for the house. She shut herself in her room and sat on her bed. As she looked at her hands they were still shaking.

Next door Nabiki swore again. "Bitch, bloody inconsiderate. Oh well I am awake, lets go explore. She quickly headed into the bathroom and washed up. As she left she stopped, a sly smile adorning her face.

Ranma was into his second hour of full force training, his tired muscles burned, demanding rest. Sweat ran freely down his back, fore head and chest. He was halfway through another set when he heard a wolf whistle, shortly accompanied with clapping. He finished the set and turned, internally debating whether to be angry or take a bow. As he finished turning however he just stood there mouth open. Nabiki stood at the shoji sliding door one arm held up running along its edge, the other supporting the top of her almost-too-short (or not quite short enough) towel. She was wearing only that and her trademark, teasing smile. Her eyes shone with mischief, she turned to go, looked over her shoulder once, hair whipping around her face, and then left.

Ranma didn't know whether it was his workout or his host that made his heart thunder so. And didn't care. "Bitch"

--------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------

Nabiki waited until she heard the bathroom door close then slipped out of her room and into Ranma's. "let's see what he's hiding" she whispered before replacing her lollipop. She quickly and efficiently went through his belongings. Shirts. Jeans. Grey jumpsuit, with nametag, odd patches and …captain's pips! She had guessed he was military but, not an officer, let alone this high rank, what sort of army let its soldiers make captain in three years? She heard him moving into the changing room and hurriedly started to put things back and then she saw it. A syringe, gas powered, hypodermic and loaded. As she pulled back the shirt that covered it she found two bottles of pills and a rubber strap. She was stunned, Ranma a junkie?

"Happy?" he asked from his door "Or perhaps you would like to go through my phone book too?" his tone was not friendly.

"Ranma, You want to explain before I have daddy throw you out?" she said every inch the Ice-queen she used to be.

"No, as it happens, I don't and he's welcome to try."Ranma replied, less heatedly. "This is not something I can explain. You either have to trust that me that I mean your family no harm or not. If not just say the word and I am gone."

"You can't or you won't?" she replied now more curious than angry

"Can't, orders." He replied as if that explained it all, which to some extent it did.

"This is some heavy duty stuff Ranma, how long have you been on it?"

"Long enough, and where do you know it from."

"I cooked the books at a factory that makes some of this. When you say 'long enough' is that as in 'some time' or as in 'too long'" now she was worried, very worried.

"I am about three months past the point of safe return." He admitted, as he started to pack it away. She stopped him and held the hypo to his arm.

"Then, that's it, four more months and… bam" She said and fired it into his arm with a hiss, her voice hard.

"Not quite Koda-sama is working on a regenerative. We have every right to hope." But it sounded more like a script than a belief.

"this is something to do with X-Com isn't it?" Nabiki said pointing at a patch on his suit and then stopped him with a finger to his lips. "I know, you can't tell me. Fair enough." She stood to leave "Breakfast will be ready," and then she was gone.


	3. Twin trouble

Chapter 3

Ranma quickly threw off his bathing yukata and dressed, black combat trousers and a red shirt.

Everyone was seated at the table as Akane brought out the breakfast. One quick look around confirmed Ranma's fears. Nobody was looking relaxed, everyone but Akane had naked fear on their faces.

"okay everyone, I only altered it a bit this time, its mostly what Kasumi left yesterday. Just a few ideas from my show last night" Akane said, not adding that the additions were things she was sure the chef's would have added if they were any good. Ranma saw his father and Genma praying, and thought that was odd until he picked out the words

"please let it be edible, please let it be edible please let it be edible.."

"You're the guest Ranma how about you try it first." Akane said with a happy smile. Then proceeded to pour out some grey goo into his bowl. "It wasn't thick enough so I fortified it." The deadly chef said with a smile.

Ranma tried to ignore the hissing noise as the ceramic spoon slowly melted into his bowl. "I'm not really one for breakfasts, perhaps just some toast?" he said hopefully, all the while willing his stomach to stillness, and trying not to breathe in the fumes.

"oh come on you big baby, you'll like this its got PEP." Admonished the kitchen budding chemical weapons designer, still smiling. A shiver ran down his back and he glanced around fro help, to meet only averted faces. He could have sworn Soun started to whistle.

"what is it pop, someone at the door?" he said bracing himself to run.

"RRRRRAAANMMMA!" screeched the newly transformed harpy. He didn't wait, instead just bolting. He moved so fast he left after images (who also ran).

"coward," muttered Nabiki.

Shortly later Ranma found himself in the park. Being Nerima it was liberally scattered with martial artists fighting over honour, women, boys, revenge or breakfast.

"hold fiend. At last I have found you, and I shall free my beloved Kumiko!" shouted a voice from behind him. Ranma turned there was a boy, 16 or so, wearing what looked suspiciously like a 6 foot feather duster. "Erik Bodiashi I Jonni No Mates of the tickle-ken-ryu will thrash thee." And with that the boy threw himself at the still bemused Ranma.

"DOwch" said the boy as his nose impacted on Ranma's sole. "Dno fair." Then he keeled over and passed out. Ranma shook his head and moved on. He found an unoccupied tree and folded into the lotus position at its base, apparently meditating.

His eyes snapped open a few moments later as someone nearby cursed ina very particular brand of Mandarin. He looked around to find two girls sparring, using what was un-mistakably Amazonian Wu Shu. They were trying a paired kata, and messing it up, resulting in catastrophic failure.

"Thud-Thonk" went their heads as they once again connected. Shortly followed by more cursing. "Ran-Ran not feel so good no more," said the one on the left shakily.

"me neither" said the other.

"Your'e both being girls" pronounced Ranma, in their dialect

"What you expect stupid sperm donor, we are girls. See breasts" exclaimed the somewhat dazed Ran-Ran, pointing to here ample chest.

"Yeah" coursed the other, pointing to her own.

"That's not it" Ranma tried to explain

"Are so" Replied Lin-Lin, moving right up to Ranma and revealing that yes they were indeed breasts, and fairly good looking ones at that. Her sister immediately slapped her and grabbed the front of her dress, to close it.

"Care to explain this one Saotome? I mean I could be mistaken but its not every day that I see my sister's long lost fiancé getting a show from a pair of well endowed twins in a park." Nabiki had appeared behind Ranma and even before he turned around he just knew she would be wearing That Smirk.

"This is not what it appears. And I am not marrying your poison pushing sister!" retorted Ranma.

"Stupid sperm donor not turn back on Amazons when being flashed by them!" commanded Ran-Ran hitting Ranma with an outstretched palm.

Ranma turned back "hey I am talking here shorty!"

"Have fun Saotome." Teased Nabiki. Now walking away.

"wait!" pleaded Ranma, this time catching the hand that moved to slap him. Only to be jumped by the twin.He went down in a tangle of nearly naked Amazons.

"Shit!" he cursed "get off me ya dumb bimbettes! Ow no biting. Get your hand out of there!" Nabiki just walked off smiling and shaking her head. Anywhere other than Nerima that would be weird, here at least one should have been a cross-dresser.

Ranma caught her up as she was leaving the park. At the same time he finally took in what she was wearing. It was a charcoal- grey power suit/dress combination with high heels, it was also incredibly alluring. He took the time to stare and the caught up. Oh yeah she was also carrying a small briefcase in her left hand.

"You finished with your Chinese girls so you've come to stare at my backside again" Nabiki said over her shoulder, again flicking her hair in that maddening manner.

"No I haven't" relied Ranma.

"Well if you have come to ask me to join in I am sorry but I am late for work." She deadpanned back at him, with only the hint of a smirk turning up her lips.

"Gah!" exclaimed Ranma. "Bitch" he muttered to himself.

"Heard that Saotome… And I am flattered that you think of me that way"

"bitchy bitch"

"That sort of talk will get you spanked" teased Nabiki, giving him evil smile 241 'kinky Dominatrix.' It stopped Ranma in his tracks, a shiver running down his spine.

"Damn me if Koda-sama doesn't have the same smile" he said after a while. "But ten to one Nabiki ain't that kinky. I mean she couldn't be, could she" he finished somewhat less than certainly. He turned around and headed back to get on with his exercises. However sure enough he had no sooner sat down, and closed his eyes when the nutty twins turned up.

"hey there stupid sperm donor!" exclaimed bimbette #1

"Yes that him, I bagsy first kiss" exclaimed her partner in exposure.

"Whoa girls," commanded Ranma, "stop right there, no kisses, no more groping and no more half naked wrestling!" At this a passer-by just shook his head and whispered "they get everywhere these days" and walked on. Or at least tried to until one bouncy bundle of energy kicked him in the tailbone and shouted "Ran-Ran Arien not whoopsy!" then quickly turned to Ranma "you not is you?"

"No, I'm not but-"

"Good!" exclaimed one of them before both threw themselves at Ranma to deliver their Kisses of Marriage.

"Hey I said none of that" squirmed our ever-so put-upon hero, "I thought the Kiss of marriage was meant to be a one time thing, and on the face. Whoa what did I tell you about my trousers! WHOA!"

The two girls stopped "Maybe Arien is a whoopsy!" said one

"Nah this says otherwise" said the other looking dwon and drawing the other two's gaze with her. (no not there) Around his neck was a gift from Xian.

"You is already married to Amazon?" inquired Ran-Ran, pouting.

"Yes I am." Said Ranma a little too fast "now please get off me"

"Who is?" asked Lin-Lin, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Yeah who, what, where, when, why, how Mister?" demanded the other.

Ranma sighed "her name is Xian Pu and she is the village champion. As to your other question I might consider answering WHEN YOU GET OFFA ME!"

"Oh we is sorry Arien. You make with story now then maybe we tak about bed-time." Said Ran-Ran, backed up by her sister's

"Yeah, make with story sperm bank." But they did get off of him.


	4. heat

Chapter the forth Training

'Well the trip there was mostly spent bleeding and looking around like a goldfish. The only one who spoke mandarin was talking to Sham-chan and I was as far away from her as I could manage.

I got a lovely view of us coming in to land, rock sides hurtling towards us at terminal speeds and a sudden deceleration. We were bundled out of the "skyranger" and thrown into what lokked a lot like a cell, even at that age I had seen more than one or two. I looked at sham she looked at me then we went for each other. I was just trying to stop her me but She was not holding anything back. Her chesnut fist bounced me off the back wall, my hundred kick floored her for long enough for me to get back up, then things started to get nasty. Luckily the room was set up with some serious taser restraints. Soon as the guard, a nutjob from Korea, saw us going at it he threw the switch to fry and watched us twitch-dance.

We were separated, interrogated and given the speech about "for the safety of every living being on the face of this planet we cannot, will not let you go." Next thing I know I am signing my life away, "I solemnly swear to follow the orders of my superiors in the defence of earth for the duration of the emergency or until the point of death." Didn't mean much more than that I was gonna stay breathing for a few more hours at the time. Then the PT and CQB instructors got me

"You belong to me MAGGOT!!!"

"And when your pretty little ass ain't being shat on by him you are mine."

"listen to what god here tells you and maybe, just maybe you might mke it through your fist hot-drop"

"fat chance, kid ain't got no guts," now me I really am not good at taking these sorts of things lying down, so rather than worry how thse two knew Japanese or what they were talking about I just shrugged and said

"feh, bring it," did I mention I have a small ego problem. Well the PTI swung a descending right cross at my jaw while the Cqbi just got clear, smirking I might add. I let the first connect, a little then I handed the guy his ass. He may have been the fittest (and meanest) person this world has ever seen, but my father had taught me every dirty trick in the book and been inventing more since I was ten. The fight was short, I was rude, arrogant and npot a good winner. The cqbi illustrated this by shooting me. Right in the leg, still got the scar. To say I was shocked is like saying Godzilla is a lizard. The pain was nothing new, what hit me hardest was that he did it smiling.

As I lay there, teeth clamped cuz only girls scream, he walked over,

"kid you got heart but you are gonaa wish you had just taken a dive, cuz now you are all mine." I swear he said it in a voice that would send chills down Dracula's spine.

Nor was he lying, the next two weeks sucked worse than anything my dad had ever put me through. Deep down I always trusted my pops to have some method to his madness, this guy just seemed to want to break me into pieces. I objected to weapons training, he shot me again. I objected to uniform, he threw a stun grenade into the room I was changing in. I think that up until I met him I had never hated a living soul, him I would have gladly spent hours …. Well maybe that isn't what you wanted to hear anyway.'

" yeah, tell us about Shampoo." Said twin-on-the-left

"how did you end up together if al you want ed do was kill each other."

'whoa, I never wanted to kill her, That sort of thing was just not in me then. NO the truth was the powers that be had seen that we were something special and were determined to make the most of us. I later found that the instructor's teaching plan was simply to kepp making it worse until he found a limit, thing was he didn't, not with me or Sham-chan. She had had it bad with Granny but this was worse. When they finally threw us together on a co-operative test we hardly noticed. We went through the team exercises cursing Sergeant-major Dundas. Whatever he said we couldn't do we proved him wrong. Not cuz we liked working together but because we were never going to give him the satisfaction of winning. When the testing progressed to traing with operational teams we always tried to be on the same side, not cuz we liked each other, far from it, just cuz losing has never been in either of our natures.

We were training with the cream of the world's special forces and it took a lot to hold our own when we started. When the others quit for the day we spent a few extra hours beating the lessons into each other. Somewhere along the line things started to change. It strated with grudging respect and moved on from there. Not that we would have admitted it but we started to enjoy each other's company, nobody else could even approach our mindset, they had real lives somewhere. When they were kicking back, unwinding we were just finding better ways to hurt things. Thing was that this isn't the whole story.

I am really good at what I do, no, I am even better than that. Thing was that during the training, it may have been team based and we may have been streets ahead of the others but I was consistently beating Shampoo. And I'll tell you now that she hated that. So she worked harder and harder, used ebvery trick she knew to distract me, and believe me when I tell you that she was damn good at that part of things. But I was not gonna let her beat me so I worked harder too. If either got an edge the other would thrash them self till they caught up. The thing was I always won in the end. It really pissed her off.

So one day we are winding down form a full contact spar, my ribs hurt like hell, and the bruise on her cheek is already starting to swell when I put my foot right in it again. Had I mentioned that I really ain't good at talking to people.

"just give up girly, go back to your dollies you ain't never gonna lick me." Yes I was also trying out some of my new yankie slang. Well I sorta expected her to come right back at me, like she always did, instead I got nothing. "Shanpoo?" I asked.

"Xian Pu, You fucking idiot!" she fired back, suddenly inches from my face. "how come you can learn stupid Rupert Rory's name and not Xain Pu's!" now don't get me wrong we had had plenty of arguments before but this was something new, she was livid. "how can stupid Japanese _boy_ be so good and so rubbish at same time!"

"hey I am still better than you" I said, constructively, "as the saying goes 'anything you can do I can do better' get over it bimbo" yeah I know out of order just don't even come close, but what can I say I was young and stooopid.

"bull" she replied simply. "Xian Pu know one thing that you can never win at" she replied. If I had seen the fire in her eyes even I might have backed down then, but observant I was never good at.

"come on then girly, prove it!" I said with slightly more arrogance than Caesar himself.

So she did. The next thing I knew she had me in a full body press against the wall locked in a kiss that would have curled casanova's toes. To say my mind went blank, well let's just say she proved her point. Intellectually I had no idea how to respond but my body sure did. Her, pin and kiss turned into a pin and kiss/grope and shortly later our clothes were torn, yanked and thrown. Neither of us had been ther before, but what we did not know we made up for in sheer unbridled lust. There are three levels to X-com Okinawa and I swear that they must of heard the two of us even at the farthest ends.

Afterwards. Well yeah things were awkward, I mean we hated each other, and there we were coated in each other's sweat and fluids, having just screwed each other's brains out, loudly, repeatedly. Thing was that somewhere along the line it had stopped being about winning and started to be about returning the favour. By the time we separated the world had shifted o its axis, not that I knew it at the time but from that point on there was not a thing I wouldn't have given that girl. Something in me had broken and I was madly in love and way out of my depth. If I had known she was experiencing much the same thing then maybe the next few weeks would not have been so goddamn painful.

We both went out of our way to hurt each other, only to find that in the dark of the night it only made us feel worse. Hurting was easier you see. Easier than admitting that hole deep inside that ached every time the other hurt, smiled or hell just happed to be in the same room as you. Now Dundas, rest his evil soul, he wasn't about to let us self destruct like that. He threw us into a paired game, we sodded it up royally, found ourselves locked in a box four foot by six, ten feet off the floor and hot as hell.

"You miserable maggots, I have never seen such a pitiful showing in all the years that I have had the misfortune to be inflicted with turning turds like you into soldiers. Sod it you piss-ants can rot in there I am thru with your bloody shit. If you can get your pinko asses out o' there then come see me till then you can stew in your own shit!"

It took us hours to even start trying to talk. Even then it was no more than

"you 'kay?"

"uh."

"fine, just checkin"

"humph"

what seemed like hours later I broke. I turned to hr and started "lokk Xian I'm sorry okay, I know that you deserve better an all nbut I just couldn't help me'self, and I" She stopped me talking with one finger on my lips. Then we were kissing, and then the two of us were shakin that box so hard it fell off its dumb-ass chain and nearly did us both a very intimate injury when it bust to hell on the floor.

After that things were fantastic, she and I just seemed made for each other. We didn't need to talk much, everything was said in the way we looked at each other. We were cleared for operational duties faster than any other agent had ever been and within a few short drops found ourselves the lynchpins of our teams. Life was grand, sex was even better, I have never been that close to heaven. Sure we risked death on a daily basis but the nights were our own.

Her every smile lit my world, her sweet laugh was worth more than a thousand paychecks and when we came together it was like comets colliding, fire passion and …. Well maybe I'll tell you the rest when you are a bit older."

"you never told us how she died." Said twin two

"sure I did"

"hey short yes, but not stoopid" said one

"please trust me girls, it is far better that you trust me. She died fast, lets just leave it at that. Huh."

"you were there?"

"yes" I replied and you wouldn't need to be even vaguely psychic to hear the emoition in my voice. "I was there. Now please don't ask any more."

Silence reigned for minutes afterwards. Suddenly broken by a beeping.

"we late for shift" said one to two

"shit" said two

"bai bai" they said together.

Then they were gone and I was alone again. The petals slowly falling from the trees and my heart gently bleeding from a wound that would never heal

"Bai bai airen" I whispered to the cold impartial skies.


	5. night out

**Chapter 5**

When Nabiki got home the first thing she noticed was thatthere was a Panda sat on her front porch, a battered looking one.

"said something stupid again Saotome?" she asked, temporarily interrupting her lollipop consumption.

"Growf" replied the fuzzball, grumpilly.

Nabiki went straight on into the house, quickly calling out the traditional greeting and heading into the kitchen on a snack hunt.

"Hello Nabiki," said Kasumi, "I was just about to start dinner, "are you staying in or off out."

"Tell you in just a minute, got some calls to make." Nabiki wandered into the hall pulling out her mobile. "Oh sis, where's Saotome junior gone?"

"He's in the furo, he only got back half an hour ago."

"oh?"

"yes, looked like he had been training again." Kasumi added. Nabiki just shook her head, used to the obsessiveness of local martial artists. She went up the stairs and called in to the furo telling Ranma not to be too long. She sat in her room arranging a night out with some of her friends.

She spotted Ranma's head stick through her open bedroom door. "bathroom's free" he said before starting to turn to leave. She stopped him with a wave of her hand. Covering the phone for a moment she turned to him, "fancy a night out stud?"

"Uh, what? Yeah why not" he replied

"you got some party clothes we're going dancing." She finished before uncovering the phone "yup sound's good, I'll bring our guest too."

---------------------------- --------------------- ----------------

Meanwhile Ranma went to his room and dug out some clothes. "Way to go stud" he said, voice dripping irony "you know that this is gonna be a disaster, right. Right. You should just go back in there and tell her you changed your mind, yeah right." He stopped and turned to go and talk to Nabiki. And there she was in his doorway.

"Thanks Saotome," she said "these nights get pretty dull with just us there. I like the girls and all but Kami they haven't got a brain between them."

"Girls" Ranma said one eyebrow arching"I really don't need you setting me up with anyone ya know."

Nabiki leaned back against the doorframe, stretching slightly. She turned her head so that she was looking at him out of the side of her eyes, fully aware of the effect this sort of thing had on most men. "I thought it was traditional. One last fling before you ship out for the big push." She said in a mock accent

When his face suddenly darkened her surprise was very real, "What do you know about that" he asked forcefully. When she didn't reply he stepped over and grabbed her by both arms. Nabiki found herself looking straight into those Blue grey eyes, except this time they were all steel. "If something's got out we need to know, now!"

"I, I don't know what you mean" Nabiki said her voice quavering.

Ranma stopped immediately "shit. Sorry Tendo-san. Of course you don't, how could you." Ranma half turned, "I am just a little wired just now."

"Tranqs wearing down?" Nabiki asked, using the time to pull her composure back.

"probably" Ranma replied thoughtfully.

"You really need to look at your dosage you know." Nabiki said, this time with real concern. "Have a word with your pharmacist, Koda-chan wasn't it, when you get back?"

"You better forget I said anything, and any names you heard too." Ranma said evenly. "I really didn't mean to startle you but I was serious that our secrets have to stay that way. To be honest I shouldn't really have let on about the Command in the fisrt place."

"Hey, secrets are my speciality, my lips are sealed. Besides you didn't tell me about X-com, I told you." Nabiki said. She turned to leave, "oh and for the record I am not trying to set you up with anyone, anyone else." And then she was gone.

"Always has to have the last word, always" Ranma grumbled

"Go with the blue, it would suit you." Came Nabiki's voice through the door.

"Always."

---------------------------------- ----------------------------

Some hours later the two were part of a group just stepping through the doors into "Dante's" a hot new club downtown. The music was pounding and the dancefloor crammed, the atmosphere was hot, sweaty and jumping. Once again Ranma had paid for the both of them, despite Nabiki's half-hearted attempt to pay for herself. "Whoa, people," said Ranma. The city centre had been bad enough but this heaving mass of half-naked humanity was way beyond his experience. Nabiki spotted his hesitation, grabbed his hand and dragged him into the room.

Flames burst in the air, cages swayed, and the crowd bounced as the next tune started up. The whole room seemed to shiver in response. Nabiki's smile increased directly in proportion to Ranma's discomfort. Then the rest of the group dragged them over toa table they had found deeper within the hall. Most of the girls were sitting down, two were heading to the luminous bar and the last immediately started talking into Nabiki's ear. Ranma found himself adrift, he was about to sit when Nabiki grabbed him and shouted "Dance!" before leading him towards the slightly sunken dancefloor.

When they got there Nabiki turned and started to move. The smile on her face way infectious but Ranma was still catching his breath. Nabiki was already losing herself in the music, and soon Ranma just followed suit. Lack of confidence had never really been one of his problems but here he knew he was out of his depth. With a few smiles from Nabiki and a lot of looking around he quickly started to outshine the others around him. When their neighbours started to move aside Ranma was having too much fun to care. Nabiki just laughed and smiled larger. When Nabiki signalled him that she needed a break and he came back down their impromptu audience cheered them off, a couple of girls kissed Ranma on the way of the floor and Nabiki shot down a couple of approaches. Both were laughing by the time they reached the table.

Only when they got there things were different. Abi, one of the smarter friends was standing, obviously flustered. "what's the matter Abi?" said Nabiki. The girl didn't hear Nabiki leaned in and shouted straight into her ear.

"Jess-chan is gone. I only left to see if I could see any of the others, it was only for a moment." Abi said into her ear.

"And?" asked Nabiki in return

"She wasn't feeling good" Abi replied.

"Check the toilets." Nabiki said, still not that concerned

"You don't understand, there were these guys, they came over after you left,they were-"

"Ranma, Jess could be in trouble." Nabiki said as the music suddenly dipped. Ranma saw the seriousness in Nabiki's eyes, his whole body changed shape and steel flashed in his eyes. He immediately started looking around.

"I'll check the door you go check the gents" Nabiki said.

"What's up there?" he asked pointing to some stairs nearby.

"vip room" answered Abi

"She's up there"

"How –"

"Otherwise we would have seen them." And then he was gone, taking the steps four at a time. Nabiki looked at Abi and followed, albeit somewhat slower.

------------------------------------- - --------------------

"you can't go in there" Ranma had arrived at a short landing the other side of which were two gorillas in monkey suits. The size of their hands was only rivalled by their lack of intelligence.

"This party is Private" said the other primate squeezing his hand back into a fist. But there was a snigger in his voice. Ranma turned his chin, his neck went "crick" and then he decked them both. By the time their overdeveloped bodies hit the floor the door they were guarding was already shattered.

Inside was a scene out of some dirty expose documentary. One guy was snorting a line of white off a mirror, another was sitting with his hand down his trousers while the third was molesting a passed out teen, Jess.

Even as Ranma entered the room exploded into motion, one falling over the other two jumping up and fixing their clothes. Ranma was through the door and off to the right before the first sound finished echoing.

"Who are you" demanded rapist number one, monkey spanker nodded along. Ranma ignored the two of them and went straight to Jess. He saw that her eyes were open and staring.

"You better pray you didn't get very far"

"This is a private room bitch" said rapist one.

"Do you even know who we are?" demanded two, while the third just laughed.

"We're _Spunk-Jam_!" said one as if it was a proclamation of divinity. Ranma bust his nose with a straight arm, open palm punch that threw him clear over the couch. He turned to 'handy-man.'

"Did he rape her?" he demanded. The palm pilot just blubbered. " I will ask you one time then things start to break!" At this time the other girls were stepping over the bouncers and into the room. " Biki-chan, Abi sort Jess, RV at the restaurant," Ranma said, neither even thought of disobeying. They quickly moved over to Jess, sorted her shirt and skirt and carried her out. Meanwhile pocket poker man was fussing over his friend.

On the way down the stairs Abi turned to Nabiki, "Who the hell is he, Jackie Chan's Love child? And what the hell is an RV"

"Rendez-vous, replied Nabiki. "and he's just a friend"

"Right, sure he is _Biki-Chan_" replied Abi, sarcastically.

"Buster you just made the last mistake of your life, I am gonna hit you so hard your mamma's gonna……" Rapist was briefly up, ranting, and then another palm-strike knocked him back over an armchair. This was too much for his 'friend' who jumped at Ranma only to be thrown down ontop of the first who was still trying to get to his feet.

Ranma stalked over, kicked the wrist wrangler into the corner and put his foot on the rapist's chest. "You were right I HAD no idea who you were. Now I do.

"If it turns out that you Have raped that girl. I Will find you and then You Will wish that someone had drowned you at birth. Pray that I don't have to come after you." He then applied just enough pressure to his chest to flex rapist's ribs, winding him. Then he left, turning the table over onto druggy's still giggling form. As he was walking out one of the bouncers was standing, another palm strike just bounced him off the wall onto his comatose friend.

The other girls of the group were by now already leaving. Ranma caught them up at along the way to the restaurant that they had started the night in.

" How is she?" he asked

"Groggy, but coming round. How are they?" asked Nabiki.

" Sore." Replied Ranma, it was enough to tell her not to ask any more.

------------------------------ -------------------------

A little while later the whole group was back at Abi's flat. It was a nice bachelorette pad, three rooms and a big fridge. The girls were sitting around in the kitchen-come-dining room. Jess was sitting, shaking with a cup of tea tin her hands, Abi was off to one side crying. The others were comforting both ofthem as much as they could in their rapidly sobering states. Ranma was by the door, standing sentinel. Nabiki looked up from the couch, her arm still around Jess. "Relax" she mouthed towards Ranma. He nodded and headed to the fridge.

"You should all eat something, Its good for shock." Ranma said, already pulling ingredients from the fridge.

"don't tell me you cook." Said Nabiki.

"Only Chinese" replied Ranma as he started to chop ingredients.


	6. Picnic

Chapter 6

"Sis tell me you didn't!" Akane demanded. "You only just met him an now the two of you are shakking up in seedy sex-motels. The guy's a pervert. Did he make you do stuff, I bet he did. Perverted stuff, probably with cheese whiz. No even you wouldn't do that. That's it isn't it, he forced himself on you, that's why you've got a sore neck. He probably used drugs too didn't he, something really nasty like heroin flavoured cocaine injected straight into your eyes or something. Bet he used date-rape drugs too, in all of your drinks. Oh god I am so sorry for you, I'll Kill Him I'LL KILL mmph-

"Slow down, take a breath." Nabiki interrupted. " No we didn't. He didn't, I didn't and you won't." Nabiki said all of this without opening her eyes, and after she shoved the apple into her sisters mouth she put her head right back into her hands. The two of them were sitting on opposite sides of the table, or at least they were now that Akane had slumped back down. Now Nabiki was not a morning person, even at the best of times. Add a hangover from hell and a distinct lack of sleep, the pillow may have been nice but the couch was just too damn soft. For a few moments she lost herself in remembrance of falling asleep on Ranma's lap while he absent-mindedly stroked her hair.

Soun was dragging his friend in from the garden, the panda not being able to do it himself since his son pointed out to him how little he appreciated the assumption that he would be off form this morning.. Soun gave up and came to the table as Kasumi came in from the kitchen. " Oh my, is Ranma not through with his bath yet?" she asked.

"Here Kasumi" Ranma said coming into the room, still toweling his hair. He sat down next to Nabiki, leant over and kissed her on the cheek.

Everything went still, Ranma in place with his hand halfway to his chopsticks, Kasumi with a bowl hovering over the table. Soun was staring at the two of them over his paper, and Akane, well Akane was doing her Volcano impression.

"Waaahhhh!" Soun

"PERVERT!" Akane  
"Oh My" Kasumi loudly

"Oh my" Nabiki stunned

"oops" Ranma very small.

Then the table swung (covering Soun in breakfast and connecting with the newly disturbed Panda's head.) and Ranma ran. He was out the door and into the yard before even the flying Panda. Of course Akane was only a few heartbeats behind, (running over the grounded Panda) and already limbering up mallet-sama. Kasumi scowled at the ruined breakfast, looked at her father and gave her usual exclamation at the unusual sight of his rice-ified visage. Nabiki sat. She sat and sat.

"well that was unexpected" she said at length. Then she stood up and stepped into the yard (over the panda) and into the shed. On the running pair's next circuit she grabbed Ranma and dragged him through the door into the shed, kicking it shut before her unbalanced sister could spot. Ranma suddenly found himself pressed up next to her, already breathing hard. As he was about to speak she placed a finger on his lips, and then slowly moved the hand round to grasp the base of his pigtail. She guided his lips to hers and his arm around her. The kiss was not the chaste little expression of before, later he could have sworn he heard his toes curl.

It went on for some time.

"What was that for? He whispered, inches from her face. Nabiki kissed him again, well he was there.

"Last night." She replied.

"I did good?" he asked, more for something to say than any doubt.

"Real good." She replied and kissed him again. "Now scoot, make yourself scarce while I do some damage control."

"But-

"Down boy, later. Okay" she silenced his next question with a finger to his lips. "Meet us in the park where I left you last time at lunch. We'll have a picnic."

"But-"

"Go" she ordered, so he went.

* * *

"Now to get a few things sorted." She said determinedly walking back into the house, stopping only to let her little sister run by on yet another circuit. As soon as she got through the door ( passing over the panda on the way) she was leapt upon by her father, still bawling. 

"Waaah, my baby's getting married, the schools will be united, she's not a lesbian after all…"

"Tendo Soun. HUSH!" commanded Nabiki "Nobody has proposed to anybody else, so as of this moment nobody is getting married. "she said slowly and evenly.

Soun of course misunderstood. "Wahh my daughter is becoming a single mother. SAOTOME WHAT SORT OF SON HAVE YOU RAISED! First he seduces his fiancé's sister and then he abandons her when she is with child -"

"I am not pregnant and I am NOT a lesbian! Now sit down and be quiet." Nabiki said, her ire rising slowly. As he began to draw breath for another shout she just fixed him with THAT look and he finally did as he was told. "Kasumi how about having a picnic for lunch?"

"Oh my, yes that sounds like a great idea. I have just the thing. Do you think you could fetch the basket from the laundry?" replied Kasumi

"Dad fetch!" commanded Nabiki, Soun immediately moved to obey (walking over the Panda). Nabiki then told her sister that their dad volunteered to help and that she was going to her room to lie down for a while.

Some time later the panda finally peeled his footprint patterned body off the floor and waddled upstairs to change. By the time he came back down again bandaged an bruised, Soun was back in his place, once more reading the morning paper. "Ah there you are Genma," he said. "We need to talk about the boy. Seems that we may not have made the best match for the schools after all." Genma raised a sign asking why (wither he had forgotten he wasn't a Panda or his face was still too swollen to talk). "He and Nabiki seem to have developed an attraction, perhaps we might-

"Nuh, 'efinately 'Kane shes artial artis' " Genma replied, glaring at the fruit bowl. Of course he was far more worried that Nabiki might suddenly be family and break his last hope of controlling the boy. One domineering woman was bad enough, the last thing he needed was another, imagine if Nodoka met Nabiki. Even worse imagine Nabiki with a katana.

"Genma, what's the matter, you look like you saw the master?" Soun inquired, concerned by his friend's sudden blanching and quivering.

"Efinetely 'Kane" Genma mumbled more emphatically.

"But how?" Soun inquired, before striking a thoughtful pose. Genma suddenly leapt to his feet, throwing his hand upwards to point in the eureka pose. Only he leapt a little too high and his hand was in no shape after the mauling to withstand sudden contact with thee ceiling.

"Ow" he said before his eyes crossed and he fell like so much timber, flat onto his back.

* * *

The morning turned out to be bright and sunny, a nice contrast from the rain that had poured on Ranma's first day. He was enjoying being in a city where people weren't running for cover, where nobody was screaming. He found himself sat in a local shop, just enjoying his Japanese pizza and reminiscing about his buddy Ukyo. Now that was a long time ago. But the late night, lazy morning and the fact he had missed one of his pills because he left soon had him drifting into a daydream. 

Two young kids were sitting down by a stream, trees can be seen in the background, slowly shedding leaves towards the two. They are taking it in turns to throw pebbles into the water.

"Ranchan. Will we be friends forever?" chibi-Ukyo asked with all the seriousness of a determined six-year-old.

"Yeah sure will will Ucchan-ol-buddy" replied chibi-Ranma, more flippantly. "Can't catch me." Chibi-Ranma dared, splashing Ukyo, and running off. Ucchan followed laughing. Then all of a sudden Ukyo caught him. Ranma had stopped, a chill running through his body. Everything had gone quiet, no birds, no anything. Wait there was a noise an odd scrunching like…

Ranma burst through the trees the Kuonji yattai was on its side, burning slightly. In front of it was… was a creature black and chitinous, six limbs and an elongated head, a mockery of its host. Its face turned from where it had been buried in the chest of Ukyo's father. The evil green eyes flared the mandibles opened to screech its warcry. Time slowed

It leapt, claws reaching blood trailing from its face.

Ranma couldn't move, this time it had him, this time he would be the one.

"NO !" he screamed wrenching his body sideways.

The creature passed him by, twisting in the air. It landed. For a second the two stared, locked in a battle of wills, of courage against hatred. Then the moment broke, Ukyo came through the trees and the creature turned.

Ukyo's hands lifted, spatulas flying towards the abomination, uselessly.

And then Ukyo died, crimson gore torn from the childlike body as the beast tore ribs and guts asunder. Ranma's boyhood friend screamed and broke off into a bubbling gurgle.

Ranma's fist tore through the creature, shattering carapace and cartilage in one strike, green viscera splattering, drenching him. Ranma hardly noticed, in a flah he was next to the child, not even noticing his own adult form. "Ucchan, no. Not you too. Don't die, please don't." And then Ukyo lashed out, arms grabbing Ranma's shoulder's

"Why? Why did you kill me?" the child asked, each word ejecting black blood from child like lips. "Why?" and then the face changed, this time it was a friend from the team again demanding answers "why did you …" and it changed again and again. An endless procession of dead friends with ruined faces and blood running down them, coating Ranma. Lastly Xian Pu "why? She whispered "why?"

Ranma awoke with a start, the café lady, a delicate looking girl in a kimono was shaking him. "Are you alright?" the girl asked.

"Who, where, what?" Ranma exclaimed.

"I'm Konatsu, you were having a nightmare, are you okay?" the waitress replied, fluttering her eyes slightly.

"Yeah, sure, uh thanks. Oh crap, what's the time" Ranma spurted, grabbing girl's arm. "Twelve thirty, shit I'm late. Thanks for the meal, here, keep the change" Ranma rushed, pushing notes into Konatsu's hand. "Gotta go" he said, hurdling the table and flying out the door.

"What is it Konatsu" said the bishonen chef as they emerged from the storeroom.

"Nothing Kuonji-sama, just a customer who nodded off," replied Konatsu pushing the money into the front of her kimono. "had a potty mouth too" she mumbled as she got back to work.

* * *

Ranma was hurtling towards the park as fast as his over-developed legs could propel him, leaping cars and people as if such things were effortless. "If that waitress hadn't woken me… Sheesh must have looked a right idiot, at least she was cute even if there was something odd about her. Wait a mo, that girl had an adam's apple, kami this town's weird." HE thought, having no idea how right he was.

By the time Ranma found them the rest of the household was already laying out their lunch. Kasumi had brought a large picnic cloth, in traditional red and white checks and was laying out all manner of fantastic dishes from a wicker basket while the rest looked on with baited breath. Nevertheless Nabiki looked up in time to see him arrive. "What's the matter soldier-boy nobody teach you how to tell the time?"

"Well fatso there certainly didn't" Ranma said, adding "not even sure he can count." The panda just stuck out his tongue.

"Hello Ranma, you're just in time," said Kasumi happily.

"Hello Kasumi" Ranma said taking his place between Nabiki and her father. Soun looked over at Genma winked and then coughed pointedly.

"Ranma I have decided to overlook your unpleasantness this morning" he held up a hand to stall Ranma's retort " on one condition."

Ranma sighed knowing a set up when he heard one "What?" he said arching an eyebrow.

"You must train Akane in anything goes!" Soun proclaimed, smug grin splitting his face. One that was mirrored on his compatriot in crime's.

"No way!" screamed Akane, leaping up. "No way I'm letting this pervert teach me anything. He'll only use it as an excuse to cop a feel.

"She' right" said Ranma. "Not about the copping a feel but about the fact she ain't capable of leaning even the basics."

"What!" she screamed. "I am ten times the martial artist you are. I don't use dirty tricks, don't cheat, don't hit people before they are ready and don't use the art for hentai, disgusting _BOY _things!!"

"As I said not a chance. Doesn't even know the most basic tenets of the ryu."

"I am the one true heir to the Matsubeto Kakuto Ryu!" she screamed, fists clenched and pushed down to her sides. Ranma held up a hand, and looked at her, she stopped ranting

"Chopstick-fu" he said quietly. She answered with a blank look.

"What the hell is that?" She asked. He just looked at his father.

"It is a basic technique that teaches speed and accuracy combined with hand-eye co-ordination. I myself originated it many years ago!" Genma lied as pompously as he could manage. Which in all fairness was fairly pompous for a bandaged bespectacled idiot with a bandage on his head.

"never heard of it" said Akane.

"I learnt it when I was, what about six?" Ranma replied, looking again to his father. Genma nodded, proudly.

"rubbish" Akane said.

"Six and a half, took him a whole week," asserted Genma "Ranma's a bit thick." As he added the last Ranma kicked him sideways into a tree.

"Says you Woody" Ranma finished.

"Can't be that hard then" sneered Akane. "what do I have to do?"

"Simple, defend your food while stealing mine! You aren't fast enough, you don't eat" Ranma said with a smile on his face, and stealing the contents of her plate.

"OI! " she screamed and attempted to steal them back with her hands. Only to have them painfully rapped by Ranma's chopsticks.

"CHOPSTICK-fu" he emphasised. She proceeded to try again with her chopsticks, only to be thwarted again. "Gotta be faster." He admonished. So she tried again, and failed again. "Faster" he repeated. This went on for some time before Akane stormed off in a huff.

"Is it really fair to put her up against you, an accomplished Master of the art?" Nabiki asked with irony and a smile.

"I had to face pops, at six, every meal until I learnt" Ranma replied

"He didn't eat until he did" said Genma with pride. Nabiki just looked at him like he was nuts.

"And you are proud of that?" she asked. Genma just looked puzzled, why shouldn't he be proud of starving his infant son into learning a new form?

"There is a trick to it," Ranma supplied. Nabiki arched an eyebrow in response. "First, grasshopper, you must become one with your weapon, " he said in 'wise master' voice. "Try this." He said demonstrating a spin with his chopsticks. She tried, he corrected her and she tried again, getting it right. "Now practise that until the chopsticks move to fast to see and you will be most of the way there."

"That's it?" Nabiki asked

"Basically, there is a little bit more to it but once you've got that move down all else will just fall into place," he answered before giving the traditional blessing and starting to eat his enlarged portion.

When Akane cooled down and came back the whole family were eating happily. She slumped down in her place and started to load up a new plate. Only to find it continually disappearing. She leapt once more to her feet "Ranma No Baka!" she cried. He just waved his hands out innocently.

"Not me girly-chan." He said, not looking at Nabiki or her enlarged plateful.

"Nabiki" said Kasumi, frowning slightly, "don't be mean to your sister, she can't help being slow."

"Nabiki!" screamed Akane, fists once more formed by her hips.

"I'm full, fancy a walk to help it settle Saotome?" hurried the middle daughter, not waiting for his reply before grabbing his hand and running off towards the trees.

"DAAAADY!" cried the little princess.

"Don't worry rabbit daddy'll show you," replied Soun.

* * *

"Have a good morning" asked Nabiki, when the two had stopped in the trees, her smile however was almost from ear to ear.

"Yeah," replied Ranma "very…restful" Nabiki quirked an eyebrow again but he declined to fill in the details. For a little while the two just walked, lost in their own thoughts.

"You never said how long you are staying for," Nabiki asked, playing with a daisy between her hands as they walked along.

"I'm sort of on indefinite leave." He replied "Basically I'm under orders to wind down a bit before the big one."

"I won't ask when that is." Nabiki added.

"You an ask, I just can't tell you, even if I knew." Ranma supplied "I'll know when my beeper goes.

"You still use beepers?" Nabiki said with a scornful smile "how very… retro of you."

"They are linked into one of the most advanced encryption and projection systems the world has ever known." Ranma replied. "But please lets not talk about that, you just have this way of making me say things I shouldn't"

"If its any consolation you aren't alone." Replied Nabiki, still smiling. Ranma raised his eyebrow. "Another part of my job, information gathering. And before you worry I do know better than to tell anyone what I find out from you. This X-com has heavy hitter written all over it, and I value my continued freedom." Again companionable silence reigned for a while.

"So what would you rather talk about?" she asked.

"Dunno, how about you. What do you do for fun?"

"Oher than going out with my girlfriends and almost letting one get dat-raped you mean?" Nabiki said "Thanks again for the save by the way. Don't think that much of Jess' smarts but wouldn't wish that on anyone."

"No worries. Woulda done it fer anyone." He replied

"Two huge bouncers and three rockstars, yeah I guess he would at that" she thought. Instead of saying it though she said "So I'm just anyone now, that's not what you said in the shed" her smile was now all tease.

"Uh that's not what I meant, I mean you're not, I mean you are…"

"I'm what, stud." She said pressing her body against his

"Uh, I mean, um er" he replied in a flustered whisper. She finally silenced him with a kiss, a long one.

Some time later the two had sat down under a tree, Nabiki was lounging on her front, twirling another daisy while Ranma stared off into the distance. "Ranma, if you don't mind can I ask a personal question?"

"And if I do?" he replied smiling

"Tough." She answered. "Shampoo, the two of you were _intimate_ right?" she asked

"Xian Pu, and yes fairly often." He replied.

"Then how come some times you act like a schoolboy who has never even been touched by a girl?" she asked once more raising an eyebrow. Ranma finally turned to look at her.

"Long story, but I guess most of it is that I just ain't that good with my own feelings. Flirting's easy but when it looks like something might atually come of it I'm just a little lost ya know."

"Pretty observant for someone not good with their feelings," Nabiki added.

"What can I say I got a good shrink," Ranma replied.

"So what does he tell you to do in situations like this?" Nabiki said moving so hhe was leaning up against him and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"SHE don't say a lot, its not really something I would ask her about." Ranma replied.

"why not?" Nabiki asked nuzzling his neck

"The two of us had a thing after I lost Xian"

"Oh?" Nabiki asked adding a little nip to her nuzzle.

"Yeah, she was a lot like you in some ways." Ranma said, starting to return the attention.

"Oh Yeah!" Nabiki said pulling her face away "How?"

"Pushy" he supplied before kissing her again.

It was quite some time before the two even thought about rejoining the others.


	7. All good things

A/N as some of you might notice I am having trouble with formatting. The manager seems to keep losing my section breaks. Anyone who knows a way around this please e-mail me, thanks.

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**Chapter 7**

It was dinnertime at the Tendo-ke, Soun and Genma were sitting, heads close together, whispering conspiratorially and occasionally glancing at the two young people who had ousted them from their normal spot by the go board.

"Those idiots are planning something again," Nabiki whispered to Ranma.  
"Sshh" he replied "planning"  
"Yeah right." She replied "I've seen your style before, its called seat-of-pants-fu"  
"Then how come I'm winning?" he responded, making his move.  
"Didn't say there was anything wrong with your style, and I think you should look again" Nabiki replied as she moved another tile.  
"Ah, nasty, but I'm more worried about the flanking manoeuvre from over there" Ranma said waving at a different area of the board.  
"Why Ranma, you actually can think strategically. Are you sure you're Genma's son?" Nabiki replied finding her play blocked.  
"Nah, only got his word fer it." He replied. "An ya still got me in four.""Four?" she asked. Ranma pointed out a set of moves silently as she nodded along.  
"Four" he said.  
"What would you say if I said I hadn't considered that?" she asked  
"Liar" he smirked back. She just tipped her head and smiled. She moved the table and took hold of his hand, pulling him close.  
"To the victor the spoils." She whispered kissing him.  
"Mmm" he replied "note to self, lose more often."  
"Ahh my plan proceeds apace" she replied in mock evil overlord.  
Just then Akane came downstairs. "Something's beeping in your room, pervert," she said before going into the kitchen. Nabiki and Ranma shared a look.  
"No, not already," she whispered  
"Maybe not, but I've gotta check," he said before bounding upstairs.

"Dad, Akane's in the kitchen again. " Nabiki said to her father. This prompted a panicked look from the dumb duo who immediately legged it after the ambulatory culinary disaster zone.  
"Why don't you practise some more dear?" pleaded Soun  
"Growf" added Genma, having walked straight into the stream of the tap Akane had already managed to mangle.  
Fortunately it was at that moment Kasumi arrived bearing the dinner. Behind her came her husband Doctor Tofu Ono, a tall well built man in a suit and spectacles. From their body language you could tell that something was up, Tofu's shoulders were visibly slumped.

"Hey Doc what's up?" asked Nabiki.   
"The firm needs me to go away tomorrow" he replied.  
"I thought you were out of that lot?" Nabiki asked.  
"One last trip." He said, depression rolling off him.  
"But a long one huh?" Nabiki asked, already knowing the answer.  
"Uh-huh." He replied  
"Can't someone else go?" she asked  
"This one's too important to leave to anyone else." Tofu replied with more determination in his voice. "I don't think Kasumi understands," he added sadly.  
"She doesn't understand, but you know that doesn't matter," Nabiki reassured him. "She loves you and trusts you, I severely doubt that she blames you in the slightest. WE may not know who you work for but we do now that it must be important to take you away from her, especially now." Nabiki had moved to look directly at him.  
"Thanks Nabiki, sometimes it all just gets a bit much you know." He said gratefully.  
"Hey I'll put the counselling on your tab." She teased  
"And just where did you learn that sort of thing in the first place," he asked starting to smile.  
"A book called _Salariman 101, So Your Wife Hates You_." Nabiki replied.  
"Really?" he asked.  
"Wanna borrow it?" she asked only half serious  
"Maybe." He replied.  
"Four Hundred Yen" she teased, hand out. Then she turned to watch Ranma come down the stairs. His form mirrored Ono's from a moment before, dejection. "Bad news?" she asked quietly, already knowing the answer. At the same time she missed Tofu's look of surprise.

"The worst," Ranma replied raising his head to meet her eyes, "I gotta be at the airport for five tomorrow morning."  
"No, tomorrow, that's not fair." She said dipping her head and so missing Ranma's own look of shock and surprised recognition. "Never mind," she said moving to him "you WILL come back, won't you?" she finished quietly, holding his hands.  
"If I can," he replied. "And I promise not to let up trying while I breathe." She just kissed him; trying to pass on all the words they wouldn't have time to say.  
"Uh-hum" coughed Soun from the kitchen door. "What do you think you are doing to my daughter?"  
"Not now dad." Nabiki said, waving her father down, before kissing Ranma again.  
"Oh my" said Kasumi from the recently vacated doorway, "should you really be doing that before you are married?" This finally caused the two to break off their kiss, standing for a moment with their foreheads pressed tenderly together. Afterwards they turned and moved to sit, still holding hands.

"Hiya Doc" Ranma said to Tofu as he sat down "Fancy meeting you here."  
"Hello Captain," Tofu replied, "I never made the connection, silly really there can't be that many Saotomes"  
"Glad to hear it, fewer people associating me with Fatso the better." Ranma replied. "You belong to Kasumi I take it?"  
"Belong, yes well I guess I do," Tofu said, his glasses starting to fog, "Very much so, isn't that true Betty." He turned to say to the nobody next to him.  
"Don't set him off," whispered Nabiki, her mind working frantically at the new information. "How could the two have met before, unless… Tofu was in the same service? Nice, quiet, family-man, Tofu was a drugged killer like Ranma? No he couldn't be."

"Tofu, can I ask you a question?" Nabiki asked. "How is it that you know Ranma here?" she knew that if she was correct about the two of them being in joint service then Tofu couldn't answer but the question itself would provide some information. Indeed no sooner had she made her inquiry when Ranma and Tofu shared an alarmed look. For a secret organisation this X-com really needed to beef up security training.

"Uh, we met at a conference in, uh Osaka, yes Osaka." Tofu lied. Nabiki did not believe a word of it.  
"Just one more question Tofu, and I expect a truthful answer to this one." Nabiki added, her face becoming deadly serious. "Are you taking the same supplements Ranma is?"  
"No," replied Tofu "It is not required of those in support roles." He was just as serious. Then he turned to Ranma "how did she find out?"  
"By nosing around in places she shouldn't." Ranma answered, but he was smiling, and finished by picking up Nabiki's hand again.

Dinner was a subdued affair. It took several minutes for Kasumi and Tofu to actually start smiling at each other again. Nabiki and Ranma were sharing their own looks. All of them however were occasionally interrupted by Akane. She was attempting to emulate the chopstick-spinning technique from lunchtime, and failing. The result was flying chopsticks, seemingly always headed for something that would splash or at someone's eyes. The one exception was the chopstick that had bounced off the table and into Genma's ear, a fact that he had yet to register.

"Damn, its impossible!" swore Akane, after yet another stick went skywards. Ranma caught it, before it landed in the sauce, and handed it wordlessly to Nabiki. Nabiki looked at Akane, raised the stick and span it. First one way then the other, before returning it to her sister. All the while she maintained her Ice-queen façade, only her eyes revealed her mirth.

"You cheated!" Akane shouted, breaking her other stick in her hand.

"Thank you for the meal Kasumi, Tendo-san. Now if you will excuse me I have some packing to do." Ranma said politely, before standing and heading upstairs. Any suggestion that he was leaving rather than insulting gorilla-girl would have been pure speculation. Nabiki excused herself a few moments later and followed Ranma.

As she reached his door she found it open and Ranma slowly repacking his gear. "What are your chances?" she asked.  
"Huh?" he responded  
"This 'big one' its dangerous I got that much. Whatever it is that you and Tofu are up to, you clearly feel there is a chance you won't come back. I'm just asking for some odds." Nabiki explained.  
"Truth is I don't know, there are several different options for the mission, and the survival rates vary." Ranma replied, but Nabiki could tell he was dodging the question.  
"None of them are very good are they?" she asked, her mask cracking.  
"No" he replied, "not really." She ran to him, he stood and wrapped hr in his arms. For a while she just lost herself in his embrace, one hand holding her the other gently stroking her hair. Her tears ran hot onto his shoulder.  
"'S not fair" she whispered.  
"Never is, Biki-chan" he whispered back. They held each other for a while longer, and then Nabiki sniffed.  
"Better get on with this?" she moved to help, he pulled her back.  
"It can wait." He kissed her again.

A while later the two of them returned downstairs to the front room. Nabiki had helped him pack, and between that and the tickling, kissing and play fighting they had been away for at least a couple of hours. The fact that Nabiki was rather red in the face and limping slightly combined with their absence to cement certain opinions in people's minds.

"Wahh, My daughter is sleeping around in my own house. She has sold her virtue for a few kind words. WAAAH my daughter's a – "Don't even think it Tendo," Ranma interrupted, hauling Soun towards him. Soun shut up. Nabiki smiled. Akane came running in  
"Get your perverted hands off my father!" she commanded swinging madly. Ranma dodged effortlessly, and politely refrained from using the Tendo patriarch as a body shield.  
"Hey nutbar, you gonna give up yet, or do I haveta point out that your pants are on backwards." Ranma asked while still dodging both Soun and himself. Akane of course immediately looked down, unbalanced and did a forward roll into the wall. Her head connected with a resounding 'thunk' like so much lumber.  
"klutz." He remarked before putting Soun down.  
"Lets go for a walk" Nabiki suggested. When Ranma didn't object she grabbed him by the arm and off they went.  
"They are following us ya know" he said to her  
"That's the plan" Nabiki replied, cuddling closer.  
"Huh?" Ranma asked.  
"Kasumi and Tofu needed to sort a few things out, this makes it easier."  
"You Are good" he snuggled, inhaling. The moment was broken by a cat's screech and a dustbin's crash. Ranma laughed "No offence but your sister is really clumsy. Are you sure she's related?"  
"What do you mean?" Nabiki asked, not really thinking.  
"I mean look at you, all grace, beauty and control n stuff" he said his voice dropping off.  
"Flattery will get you anywhere," she whispered back, finishing with a kiss.  
"You wanna lose the audience?" he asked with a naughty glint  
"Kasumi." She pointed out.  
"Damn!" he whispered.  
"Now come on soldier boy, the lights are meant to be really pretty from up here," Nabiki said, leading him up the hill.

At the top they stopped in a small pagoda and sat arm in arm watching the lights twinkle. Suddenly there was a flash and a roll of thunder. Rain soon followed.

"I love the rain" Nabiki said, head resting on his shoulder.  
"Specially when some people ain't got no shelter," Ranma whispered, smirking and giving her a kiss on top of her head.

When the procession returned Ranma and Nabiki were laughing and running, behind them came the others, drenched from being caught out in the sudden downpour. Of course the fat tat Ranma and Nabiki shut the door, firmly, as they came in might not exactly be helpful.  
"You get dried up, I'll check on Kasumi." Nabiki said  
"I was gonna get a bath, they ain't exactly common on base." Ranma said.  
"Okay, knock yourself out." Nabiki finished pulling him in for a kiss. As she walked off to the phone his eyes never left her backside. She stopped "uh-hum, bath upstairs stud," she said, looking over her shoulder through her bangs.

While Ranma relaxed in the bath the others gruped their way inside, and dispersed to their rooms. By the time Ranma finished his bath Akane was already sealed in her bedroom and the parental prats were ensconced around the go board, drinking themselves unconscious. Ranma crept over and looked into Nabiki's room. He called her a couple of times, and got no reponse. Figuring she had fallen asleep he shrugged and went to his own room. Only to find Nabiki waiting for him.

"Took your time Saotome. Now shut the door and come to bed." She ordered. So he did.

When Ranma awoke he was still wrapped around the delightful form of his own sleeping beauty. He kissed her gently and untangled himself. He took a few moments to gather his clothes and moved to the door to go dress in the furoba. As he looked back at Nabiki he saw she had rolled onto her belly and was watching him. He stopped, kissed her once more and left, trying hard to ignore the shimmer in her eyes.

At the airport he met Tofu and two others together they took a helicopter out towards the uncertain future.


	8. News?

Chapter 8 

The next few days were not good in the Tendo-ke. Both Kasumi and Nabiki seemed to be subject to wild mood swings. One moment one or the other would be lost in fond remembrance the next they would be brimming with angry frustration and woe betide any man that presented a target. Each daughter showed this in their own way, whether it was Kasumi accidentally nearly burning dinner because she was lost in a world of her own and then serving Genma nothing but bamboo because "If Saotome-san wishes to be an animal then he can eat like one!"

. Nabiki on the other hand was more dangerous still. On the second day since the boys' departure Soun found her sitting on the porch, twirling a daisy in her fingers, and occasionally raising it to her nose. Seeing that she was smiling he decided it was a good moment to bring up the issue of the engagement. After all she would see why it would be best for all concerned if she let Akane marry Ranma. I mean it was obvious, wasn't it. Instead of being rational however she went deathly still, waited till he had run out of steam and started to try and fill the charged silence that remained with mindless 'wisdoms,' and only then did she talk. "Father what Ranma and I choose to promise each other is not for open discussion. Need I remind you about certain clippings I have laid my hands on?" her eyebrow quirked, her eyes icy. "The headline was very interesting, something about _Paired Perverts on Prep school Panty Raid_. The pictures were very clear for the time if I remember rightly." Needless to say Soun was off in a shot.

."Well Soun-ol-buddy" Genma asked.  
."We need a plan B," Soun explained sadly, "newspapers, from July 83"  
. "You don't mean?" Genma asked blanching  
. "Juuban" the two of them said together, shivering.  
."Maybe we could get Akane to join up?" Genma asked.  
."Hmm good idea I'm sure she would go down well in the barracks" Soun replied, with a straight face.  
."Yes a girl like her is bound to make lots of girlfriends in the SDF." Genma added.  
."She would have to be an officer though" Soun asserted.  
."Yes of course." Genma agreed, "She definitely needs girls under her."  
."Not all the time, of course she must be under other girls as well." Soun said.

It may have been childish but the innuendo at least lightened Nabiki's mood for a while. Hentai images of butch lesbian officers and Akane "serving" under them, briefly raced through her mind and she had to try hard not to laugh out loud. Instead she told the troublesome two that she was off out and went to Abi's house for a bit of female reassurance, (spelled "S.A.K.I." and "CHOCHOLATE CHIP").

.-------------------------

.When Nabiki came back the next day, after being in the office, she was in a terrible mood. Her hangover had conspired with a nightmare of a day talking with her clients on the phone, the result required plenty of aspirin and a dark room. Instead of this she was met with a sullen looking Akane and a joyful looking pair of fathers. "What is it?" she demanded.  
."Pervert's coming back." Akane said as if someone had stolen her lollipop. Nabiki was momentarily taken back.  
."Says who?" she said, eyes narrowing.  
. "Kasumi says she got a call from Tofu saying he'll be home tomorrow" said Soun. "and Ranma works for the same division, right?"  
."Close, but no cigar," replied Nabiki. "Where is she now?"  
."She went home about half an hour ago." Replied Soun, quickly adding that she had left dinner in the oven beforehand. Nabiki moved over to the phone, dialled and waited for her sister to pick up, all the while ignoring the rest of her household.  
."Moshi Moshi" came Kasumi's voice.  
."Moshi moshi," replied Nabiki, "good news about Tofu?"  
."Yes isn't it." The doctor's wife agreed.."Did he say anything about Ranma?" Nabiki asked, with a trace of concern in her voice.  
."No, is there any reason he should have?" Kasumi asked in reply.  
."No not really," Nabiki added, "but can you bring him over to talk when he gets in."  
."Not quite what I had in mind but maybe we could on the way home." Kadumi said reluctantly.  
."Thanks sis," Nabiki said and hung up. She turned to the audience that had gathered around her, "You are all idiots." She said and then went to her room, "call me when dinner's done" she called over her shoulder.

* * *

.When Tofu arrived the following day Nabiki was sat working at the dining room table. She looked up to see him, carefully hiding behind her blank mask. On the other hand he was visibly sad.."Nabiki," he started, "I'm sorry. I don't have the words, all I can say is that I'm sorry." The emotion was written all over him, from the way he stood to the slight sheen in his eyes.  
."Not good enough Ono." Nabiki said coldly, "I need more." Tofu swallowed and tried again.

."He tried to give me a message but neither of us could find the words, so he sent these." Tofu said holding out his hand. Nabiki put hers out and the doctor dropped a pair of dog-tags into them. Nabiki swallowed herself, her mouth suddenly dry.  
."Does this mean?" she asked.  
."The scenario they selected didn't require a doctor," Tofu added sadly. Not saying why. Nabiki turned them over in her hands, they were shiny, new.  
."Major Saotome?" She asked.  
."Its still pending but they let them take the promotions first because they-"."Won't be around to get them later." Nabiki finished. "I am going to my room." She added, unwilling to let them see her cry. "Later you will give me more details."  
."I'm not allowed" he started, but stopped when she fixed him with an Arctic look. " Fine we'll talk about it later." She left and the parents immediately mobbed him with ridiculous questions, which he didn't answer. Akane meanwhile just sat back looking smug.  
"Talk Tofu" Nabiki commanded. It was the next day and she had cornered him after dinner, while his wife washed up. Her eyes showed little sign of the previous night's tears.  
."There's not much I can say." He replied.  
."Start with why you aren't going!" she demanded  
."The predicted series of events means that any after-event care will be merely prolonging the inevitable." Tofu quoted. "The Commander in chief agreed with Ranma that sending a doctor along would be a waste of valuable resources."  
."And sending a major isn't?" she asked forcefully.  
."Someone has to lead the mission," Tofu replied.  
."So, if I get this right Ranma has been put in charge of a mission so unlikely to succeed that they don't expect any survivors." Nabiki said starting to break her icy façade.  
."No! That's not it at all." Tofu asserted, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder. "No team Ranma has been a part of has ever failed. Simply put he is the best we've got."  
."Then why?" she asked, tears starting to come.  
."Because it's the only way." Tofu said sadly. "I argued against it as strongly as I could but in the end the boss and Ranma were right, this needs to be done and we need him to do it."  
."What, what needs to be done so badly its worth his life?" she demanded anger rising.  
."Not just his," Tofu said, "twenty five of this world's best. But you are missing one thing."  
."What, damnit?" she demanded  
."As I said he has never failed yet. Ranma has regularly done the impossible for X-Com, so much so that we all sort of expect him to now. If there is any way those people can come back he'll find it. Don't give up on him yet" Tofu said, becoming more determined. But when Nabiki looked up there was no light in her eyes.  
."Why not, when he has" she said opening her hand to reveal the tags.  
."Just give him a chance." Tofu begged quietly. Nabiki only nodded and clenched the tags again before heading back to her room.

.After that day things sort of returned to normal, the way things were before the pig-tailed soldier came into their lives. Nabiki worked, Akane 'trained' and threw hissy fits, and the fathers went on with planning her marriage to the younger Saotome.  
.A little later Soun managed to bribe Akane's way into a civil service tryout. She failed the personality test and found herself working as a traffic warden. A task the young martinet was eminently suited for. Soun and Genma figured it was close enough to soldiering that Ranma would hardly notice and Nabiki refused to let her quit, claiming they needed the money.

.In fact, under the surface things had really changed. Tofu had grown more distant and more impulsive at the same time. The guilt of not going was warring with the joy of being with his family. And he rarely forgot it was Ranma's fault. Nabiki on the other hand was involved in more shady areas. The little that Tofu had given her was nowhere near enough, so she was digging, trying to find any and all information on Ranma and the cause he was dying for.

This led her to an old woman in Paris by the name of Louisa-Marie Gault. She was the elderly mother of a man who had served with Ranma and had proved a vital source of information.

."Yes Saotome, Jean-Paul often spoke of him, quite a man eh?" Louisa said suggestively in heavily accented English. Nabiki feigned a blush.  
."What did he say?" she asked in her passable English.  
."There was this story," Louisa started. "Back in the beginning the bugs had us beat. They were faster, nastier and more heavily armed. The first many of our boys knew of them was a burst of Plasma igniting their chest, burning straight to the spine. The early missions were characterised by lots of screaming, dying and few successes. The Aliens also have this thing they can do you know, they get into your head and make you see things, believe them. Before you know it you are shooting your own side or just trying to swallow a grenade to kill the voices in your head.  
."A lot of that changed when Ranma and the girl came to the unit. Even when they were just training they started to teach people new ways to do things. New tactics to fight, new ways to focus your mind so the bugs can't get in, things like that. Added to that the two of them were good, I mean to hear Jean-Paul say it they were supermen. Whenever someone needed to go through a door, or take point, one of them would volunteer. Now that used to be a death sentence, Jean Paul used to dread being the most junior rank to arrive at a door, because they were always sent in first. If you didn't get em all in your first salvo you were toast. Well Ranma and later the china-girl refused to play that game. Jean Paul swore that once-upon a time he saw Ranma bend around one of their plasma blasts, from the ankle to the floor and back up again!  
"Any which way it didn't stop the terror but it did make it a lot easier to deal with. They started to win more missions than they lost and soon we were catching up with them. Then one day Jean calls me, says that things have got worse, so bad he says that even Ranma got hit. The next day I got this." And with that she handed Nabiki an envelope. Inside were a pair of dogtags, a letter and The Crois-de-Guerre, France's highest award. "Sure it came in a fancy box and with some letter about keeping secrets but I had enough of that from big-nose DeGaulle.  
."May I see the letter?" Nabiki asked.  
."Sure," Louisa replied, got up and went to a cupboard. She took out a fancy hard-wood box and a letter. It was marked "Secret de la Monde." When Nabiki pointed it out to Louisa she said "World secret, and the next line means that unauthorised possession of of this knowledge is a capital crime. You still sure you want to know?"  
."Yes, tell me everything." Nabiki replied


	9. Draft

**Chapter Nine.**

"Many years ago certain people in the governments around the world discovered something. The Alien attacks that everyone ridiculed were not all lies. The truth was Aliens were visiting earth and that they were not friendly. At Roswell the Americans managed to shoot down one of the craft. Among the wreckage they found proof of vile experiments and what amounted to torture. They set up an initiative to assess and combat the threat.

It was only years later that other countries admitted that they too had set up such organisations. Japan, France Australia, all of them had seen some evidence of the Alien menace and all of them were becoming aware of its growing intensity. The big change occurred in Africa. Harare was attacked, live aliens were seen terrorising the populace, rounding them up wholesale and burning what they didn't take. The secret organisations set up by the governments of the world moved in. With the complicity of the county's dictator the whole thing was passed off as a plot by the former colonial powers.

The change in tactics by the aliens forced a change by the agencies, they banded together, first informally and then as part of the first global defence initiative, Xeno-Command, X-Com.

Each agency leant their aid and expertise they built Interceptors that could fly halfway around the world and equipped them with state of the art missile systems, packing more punch than anything else in service. They built the first "Skyranger" a true air-mobile personnel carrier. Their infantry weapons were harder hitting than anything in service, firing lethal bolts of molten metal. They built infantry support weapons, from personal missile launchers to super-light auto-guns. The soldiers themselves were quietly siphoned from the cream of the alliance's special forces. When the first team went in, having managed to shoot down an enemy flyer, they were the best the world had ever made.

It was a massacre. Standard infantry tactics just couldn't cut it. The aliens shot first and better, they were all but immune to even the newest weapons and they ignored personal safety in favour of killing even one of the team. The Skyranger lifted off within five minutes, of the fourteen souls that landed only two survived to base. The whole scheme was almost scrapped there and then, only the stubbornness of the base commander gave them another chance.

Things did get better. The next flyer was a lot smaller and more heavily damaged, as a result casualties were few and X-Com had its first real land-based success. Things did improve steadily but at the same time they got worse. The enemy were becoming more numerous, stronger forms were turning up, and they were still better armed.

­ ­­­­­­New tactics were made to combat the threat. The problem was that they were 'asset intensive,' requiring agents to do things that held little chance of survival. Interceptor pilots were asked to attack in number, in the hope that one craft would survive long enough to bring the invader down. Rookie agents took part in what became known as "reconnaissance by blood," moving ahead of the fire teams to force the aliens to give away their positions by firing on those same agents. The first rule of ship entry remained "first in, first down." The roll oh honour grew by the day.

Unfortunately so did the intensity of the attacks. Even with the constant recruitment skilled agents were tiring, making mistakes. The hectic pace of training and missions meant even the best were starting to get sloppy. As a result X-com started to lose even advanced agents, by the end of July not a single soldier remained from the initial draft. To combat this the doctors prescribed a new generation of pharmaceuticals, tailored to the extreme physiologies of X-com's elite. Jean Paul told of terrible side effects, but said that even that was better than losing concentration on mission. Life expectancy had gone up, now it was measured in weeks not days.

Things changed again when Saotome and Xian Pu came on board. At the same time they did the main base in West Africa was raided and all but destroyed. The result was something approaching a re-genesis of the whole organisation, for the first time X-Com expected eventual victory. The change in morale and fighting spirit was a key factor in changing the face of the movement.

I wish I could tell you more but Jean-Paul didn't get the chance to break any more promises." Louisa finished.

"That's okay" Nabiki replied, still digesting what she had heard. "You have been a great help.

"The only other thing I can tell you is that the organisation was starting to sell some of its new technologies through blind companies. If you want to get closer they might point a way." Louisa suggested. "I'll see if I can dig out where he said they were, come back tomorrow and I should have more."

For the first time since Ranma turned up Nabiki felt she was really starting to understand the world he was part of and it scared her more than she cared to admit.

* * *

Worse was to come the following day. Nabiki returned clutching a newly recharged mobile for recoding what she was to hear. Only Louisa wasn't there, her door bore a new lock and Nabiki quickly spotted two Inspector Cleusoux types watching Louisa's porch.

Nabiki turned and walked, hurrying away, back towards the crowds. Louisa's warnings running through her head Nabiki had to strain not to break into a run. Every step she expected to feel a hand on her shoulder, hear a voice demanding she stop.

None came. Nabiki reached the subway and quickly lost herself in the Paris crowds. Her heart-rate steadied and she finally allowed herself to relax, stopping in a small café with a good view of the street she bought a coffee and took the time to collect her thoughts.

­­­­­­­­

"So we let her walk?" One figure said to another. Both were standing across the street from Nabiki's café. They were dressed unobtrusively, like ordinary Parisians, but the clothes only disguised their heavy physiques. Their faces held little compassion and even less refinement. Whatever these men really were "nice" was not a word that sprang to mind.

"Them's the orders." Replied the second figure. "Zap her lift her wallet and let her go."

"Pity," said the first.

"Hey we work for the good guys now." said the other, breaking into a smirk. His compatriot just smiled as if at some fine joke.

Nabiki lifted her phone to change her flights, only to find it dead. That in itself was odd, but when she checked her watch it too had stopped. A quick search showed only that her wallet was also missing. Her blood chilled and she slowly raised her head to check around again. She spotted nothing out of the ordinary, two big guys sharing a joke and a few other Parisians moving about their daily business. There was however little doubt she had been tagged. She surreptitiously reached into a secret belt, took out enough to cover the bill and left, fast. This time she ran, by the end of the first block she was running as fast as her long legs could carry her.

Nabiki did not return to her hotel, she figured she was worth more than a little luggage. She ditched the phone and bought a whole new set of clothes. The next day she was on her way to London by train, running away from that terrible chill. She quietly swore never to try again.

It was a lie, not at the time of course, but having found a small slice of the truth she just could not let it go.

* * *

It took another couple of weeks but her contacts came through again. Nabiki found herself working a short contract for O'Neil Cybersystems. They were rolling out a new generation of processor, one that dwarfed anything that had come before. The company itself had come from nowhere and was set to change the way the world operated. To Nabiki it had screamed X-Com front company and so here she was, deep in their HQ using one of their newest models to pry into places she was not allowed.

The passwords had been tough to get but hardly impossible for her surveillance skills. Clearing a security slot had been tougher but Nabiki was nothing if not persistent.

_>Personnel files open  
>Query?  
>Subject not found. Retry?  
>New subject found. _

** O'Neil, Samantha, PhD, Msc, Bsc**

** CEO O'Neil Cybersystems **

** Marital status: Married**

_ >Continue?  
>File is secure. Open anyway?  
>Password accepted. _

** Demobilised 9/10/98**

** Exit Rank Colonel**

** Missions 78**

_>Details?  
>Continue?_

"Found what you need?" a voice came from behind Nabiki. She whirled heart leaping in her breast. There behind her was Doctor O'Neil herself. "Don't panic, see no guns." Samantha said, showing her hands. "I am just here to talk." Samantha may not have been large, but she was certainly imposing. Blond and pretty but everyone in the company knew she was one of the smartest people alive. Nabiki had already ascertained that the doctor had had a successful career in the USAF and at the pentagon before she disappeared, presumably to X-Com.

"Doctor," Nabiki acknowledged. "I seem to have underestimated you."

"Not really, we were sort of expecting you. After sec-services picked up Louisa-Marie we did a little checking into what it was you were up to. Your name turned up in some very confidential files." Samantha informed. Nabiki asked the question with her eyebrow. Samantha smiled and sat on a desk, waving a hand for Nabiki to sit herself too. "Personnel files pertaining to our operatives."

"Ranma and Tofu" Nabiki filled in. Samantha nodded.

" Seems that both of them have a very high opinion of you. So we did some more checking. To be honest I don't think they do you justice. Now this isn't really my field but I am willing to bet that our lot only scratched the surface, and even that got me interested." Samantha said in a strangely friendly tone.

"What now," Nabiki asked, "somehow I doubt you would be being so open if I was walking out of here a free woman." Samantha nodded, playing with her wedding band.

"I am sure you knew the risks when you got into this. And yes you are right, we can't just let you go anymore. But you are by no means the first person we have caught and contrary to popular opinion we don't just waste talent like yours out of hand."

"So I'm hired?" Nabiki asked already knowing the answer.

"That depends," Samantha answered. Nabiki again gave her characteristic eyebrow raising. "You can still chose option B." But there never was a point in asking Nabiki's heart had lifted, her mind racing. Ever since she had found out about the menace she had wanted to do something. Being impotent was not on Nabiki Tendo's to do list. This was her chance to play in the big leagues and she knew it. Just from looking at her Sam knew Nabiki's answer.

"Good to have you aboard miss Tendo." Sam said smiling.  
"Nabiki" Nabiki insisted.  
"Fine, Nabiki it is. Now do you fancy some coffee?" The two of them walked out of the dark office into a brighter future.


	10. Nabiki goes to work

Chapter Ten

Nabiki's introduction to the real workings of X-com was sudden. The day after her late-night conversation with Doctor O'Neil she arrived to find her desk being cleared. She was politely informed that the company no longer required her services and that she should report to the board room.

In the board room were Dr. Carter and a tall well built man with grey hair. For some reason he reminded Nabiki of an old show "MacGuyver" or something. He was wearing a grey jumpsuit like she had seen amongst Ranma's gear. He had bold silver stars on his epaulettes instead of Captain's pips but otherwise it looked just as practical. Also of note was the way the two of them were holding hands. They rapidly separated when Nabiki entered. "Good to meet ya at last" said General Jack O'Neil, in heavily Americanised English.

"Nabiki Tendo meet General O'Neil, Commander in chief of Xeno-Command." Said Dr Samantha O'Neil. Nabiki bowed politely, much to the discomfort of Jack O'Neil, which in turn amused his wife.

"I take it people have been talking," Nabiki said, hiding her own amusement.

"Yeah that's Ranma alright can't shut him up." Replied the general sarcastically. "Hear you are another egghead." Nabiki just raised her eyebrow.

"Not quite, Jack," said Samantha. "Nabiki's coming into our security and logistics section."

"Oh in that case." Jack replied, as if that didn't make her an egg-head. "Well shall we get on with it?"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nabiki was flown out to Okinawa Command by helicopter. She had somewhat of a fright when the twin jets opened up shortly after take off and an even larger one when the helicopter seemed to fly straight into a cliff face. Soon afterwards however she was settling in to her new bunk room and changing into her own grey fatigues. As she zipped them up she couldn't help but feel a surge of pride She was finally in a position to do something important.

An hour later she was led into Jack's office, It wasn't that it was a mess so much as it needed some serious work to let anyone see the desk. AS she came in Jack was slowly swivelling his chair back and forth, with a frown on his face,

"Damn thing squeaks" he said. "Got some papers for you to sign, they were right here." Jack said searching through the piles on his desk. Nabiki handed him the file from on top of a pile by the door, he looked at it and handed it back. "Uh yeah that's the one. When you got it all signed come back and I'll see what I can give ya to do. Logistics huh?" Nabiki nodded

"Office?" she asked.

"Hey Drew, we got an office for Lieutenant Tendo?" Jack shouted. Drew, a marine in the corridor pointed next door.

"In there sir" he said

"Thanks Drew" Jack replied, ignoring Nabiki's unspoken question at the rank.

Nabiki, now in her office, opened the file. In it was a stack of papers, most of which seemed to be about keeping the command secret. One of which was a contract signing her up as a Lieutenant in Xeno-Command, she quickly scanned down to the benefits and her eyes widened. The money was way above what she had been pulling in Nerima, and with her so close to the top she knew it was only the beginning. She read through all the file thoroughly, making some notes on things that needed to be changed in future.

When Nabiki returned to Jack's office he was nowhere to be found so she sat down and started sorting his files. She made a stack for herself and two for him, one to delegate the other to attend to personally. In the process of this she was exposed to the real bureaucracy of running a multi-national, multi-ethnic, secret organisation that spanned the world. Other people would have been swamped, she just went through the personnel files to find people suitable to be drafted to help. Every so often she got up for coffee but otherwise she was lost in a world of circling information.

Jack came in for his morning coffee and found Nabiki standing at his filing cabinet. "Uh-Hum?" he asked.

"Ah General" Nabiki replied, and then bowed, only because she knew it threw him. She let him try to return the bow before pulling out his chair. He sat obediently, she put his coffee in his hands. "Delegate." She pointed at the first stack, "deal," she pointed at he second "mine" se picked up the last and moved to the door.

"When did you get in?" Jack asked.

"After I signed my papers," Nabiki replied. What she didn't realise was that had been not eight but nearly thirty-six hours before-hand. Jack had simply avoided his office the previous day. "They are in the delegate pile." Then she left, intent on getting some breakfast and then a lie down.

----------------------------------------------

She found out that she was really good at this. As long as she just dealt with the numbers she could make them dance. It was only when she took the time to remember the human faces of people like '2507 6869' Moriaka Sakumi and the family that would now be mourning her that things started to get ontop of her. As long as the drugs were supplement WX or FP she could ignore the damage they were doing to the people forced to take them just to play on an even keel with the Aliens.

When she brought it up at her psych evaluation she could see agreement in the doctor, who looked like hell himself. "what I do" he said "is try to stick to my job. And in that way I know I am doing all I can to help people like Sakumi survive." Nabiki went away with a new determination, the agents would never fall short of anything they needed, not on her watch, never.

-----------------------------------------------

It was two weeks before she came across Operation Maleum Astarte, "StarHammer." It was closed with the top level security clearance and contained the files of twenty of X-Com's best operatives. It was at that moment that Jack came into her office, he could see the look on her face, to be so close to finding out the where and what of the man she loved.

"It was Daniel's fault," Jack said "Latin."

"Ranma." She said. Jack was silent. "When will we know?"

"They will get there in a couple of weeks. If they pull it off we'll know very soon after." Nabiki looked at him with such intensity, "You know cascade effect an' stuff.

" Errm I was just… we're um meeting in the briefing room, wanna come?" Nabiki raised her eyebrow.

"Sure," she said gathering a pad.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The briefing room was full of the top figures of Okinawa base, including Dr Jackson, Head of Science and Chief Tomoko, head of Engineering. An unknown figure was standing at the foot of the table with a screen ready for projection.

"Thank you for coming General," Said the bean counter, with only a hint of reproach. Nabiki and Jack took their seats. "Ladies and Gentlemen I am here to lay out the newest threat to mankind." He started ominously.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

It took some time for Nabiki to digest, all their efforts to date had ignored the world's sea and now they were all being told that this was an oversight. A completely independent group of Aliens had started to menace the world, this time not from the depths of space but from the depths of our own ocean's. X-Com would have to design whole new set of technologies, craft and training regimens. Once again there was simply no force on the face of the planet capable of fighting on this new front. More personally Nabiki found herself somehow in the forefront of the new planning. She made a quick note to write to Kasumi and tell her that she wouldn't be home soon after all.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

The next month was hectic for Nabiki, she found herself increasingly dealing with things beyond her contract. Her security clearance level was hiked twice and she had to fly to the new secret Atlantic base nearly as soon as the office was put in.

A month after she arrived she was promoted to Captain and had been in direct correspondence with two Presidents and one Prime Minister. However still she had no word from Operation StarHammer. That all changed one day in November. Jack was suddenly at he door.

"Briefing room now." He ordered. Nabiki saw the rate he was moving and copied it. By the time she got there it was crowded. On the screen was a grainy image. It was Comms Officer Roth, Alpha Commando. His message was a series of coded numbers. An aide translated as the numbers came in.

"_8901"_  
"reporting"  
"_7900"_  
"they have landed near estimated LZ "  
"_8012"_  
"Avenger APC is a bust, "  
"_1012"_  
"Casualties light."  
"_2039"_  
"Wild Horse leading strike team."  
"_6661"_  
"Psi-ops active."  
"_3267"_  
"Reports to follow as more info available."

Nabiki's heart sang, Ranma was alive, she felt like a weight that had been quietly crushing her was suddenly lifted. As the room broke into cheering she just fell quietly into a chair and clasped her hands. She hadn't seen him but nobody else would have a call sign like Wild Horse. She felt a hand on her shoulder, it was Jack, with a wan smile.

------------------------------------------------

The next ten minutes lasted a lifetime.

-------------------------------------------------

Then the screen crackled again. A different face appeared, a young blond in full combat armour.

"_4309"_  
"Complex entry secured"  
"_4789"_  
"Psi-agression severe"  
"_5550"_  
"Casualties levels as expected"  
"_0102_  
"Proceeding Below"

And that was it. The screen went blank. People held each other, held their breaths, but nothing more came. Still more minutes passed and still no further reports arrived. Somewhere in the room a girl started to cry. Somebody else moved to comfort her, whispering platitudes. It was no use, it seemed undeniable, the mission was a failure, nobody remained to tell the grievous news.

Then a doctor came bursting into the room and blurted something in German. The news spread through different languages, all incomprehensible made worse by those who received it either cheering, praying or just babbling questions. Nabiki was on her feet, hope starting to shine again.

"Shut up!" shouted Jack "will someone tell me what the sweet hell is going on here?"

The room went silent, and then exploded into noise. "Shut up!" he shouted again. "You" he pointed to a German engineer, "what is going on?"

"Jawol Oberstrumfurer," the engineer replied moustache bristling with pride, "the team has succeeded. The haf done it! The Mother-Brain ist kaput." The crowd went wild again.

Instead of rejoicing Jack just closed his eyes, a picture of relief, but also something else. "But at what cost?"


	11. Secret History

** Chapter 11**

**------------------ **

**What happened before.**

AS Ranma and Tofu arrived at X-Com Okinawa there was already an odd atmosphere to the place. The normally deserted landing pad had three other helicopters on it and around one were a group of nervous looking men in Black trench coats. No sooner had they picked up their bags from the pad when the general's own aide approached them. The man looked like he was a reject from Stalin's gulags, he was pale drawn and emaciated. The bags under his eyes made him look as if he hadn't slept since Ranma left.

"whassup Puck?" Ranma asked, effortlessly hefting his kit bag onto his back.

"you're late" Puck replied, as if it was a hanging offence.

"Big blow off Tokyo." Ranma explained.

"What's wrong with him?" Puck asked finally noticing that Tofu was swaying slightly and more than a little green around the gills. Ranma just smiled

"BIG blow," Ranma replied, "when's briefing?"

"They started when they heard your chopper was in" Puck replied. In the background the helicopter was already spinning its blades back to speed. The trio ducked and ran for the elevator entrance.

Sixty metres straight down and they stepped out into the secured entry area, automatic guns tracked their every move, the heavy door only opening when they had passed through yet another level of security. Inside the corridors were that unique mix of gun metal grey and beige, toped off with piping and insulated cables. It may not have been pretty but it was home. Heavy work could be heard from the nearby Hangar bay, and there were enough people hurrying in the corridor to convince both the returnees that something big really was happening, and in a hurry. Taking the hint Ranma and tofu dropped their bags onto a nearby shelf and ran to the briefing room.

The room was a spectacle of wood and screens. It was also fuller than any of them had seen it in a long time. Representatives from strategy, science, medical ops and security topped out the normal command staff. The general was in deep conversation with a scientist that neither new arrival had seen before. By the way he was waving his hands they were talking flight of some sort, Jack was not happy.

"Shut that door." Jack said "gentlemen please take your seats and we'll get this show on the road.

"Ladies and gents this is Dr Romanov he is fresh in from Novrogod and is our space spaecialist." General O'neil introduced the man and sat down.

"Good avternoon Komrades" the man started. He was a small fat balding man with bottle bottom glasses and a tiny moustache. His accent was old Russia. "The reason you hav been kalled is because our launch window for optimum mass retention in a high energy insertion is rapidly closing. We must launch within three days or sacrifice half your payload!" the general stood back up

"Way I see it we got three options, you guys all know the rough outlines, we've got two hours to choose one and start the upload. So without further ado I give you Major Slather"

"Option one," said the tall Arabian man "hit them hard, pull no punches and kick their scaly asses back into the stone age. We are talking nukes and a full combat sweep after the ground cools. No prisoners, no compromise. I don't think I need to tell you the obvious benefits of this plan, and I sure as hell can't see any drawbacks that we can't get around." The man was practically foaming at the mouth and had that burning zealot look shining from his face.

"Bullshit! We simply cannot, will not pass up this opportunity to learn more of them. We still have not made one hundred percent sure that we can't come to an acomodation with the Aliens. All we really need is to let them know we have the apability to attack them and they are sure to deal!" So said Dr Raoul Souplas, a French Scientist who had consistently favoured accommodation with the Aliens. He had been investigated but nobody had found any evidence of complicity, yet.

"Raoul, stand down. We have talked about this before and the answer is still no. Its us or them the only question is how we do the killing." Jack said with obvious reluctance. "Captain Blasar." Jack introduced the second speaker.

Blasar was as scurrilous a looking fellow as ever there was, a little bit shorter than average but a lot greasier. His moustache was ripped straight out of a spaghetti western set in Mexico and his attitude was similar. "Genteeelmen and laydees" he started "the answer ees still stealth. Forget the launch window we'll get another, right now we just don't know enough about Cydonia to even frame a mission let alone give up the lives of some of our best on a fool's errand." Slather scoffed, Souplas nodded and waved his hands in agreement. "Instead we send in a stealth team, sneak them round the dark side and set up listening posts, we learn and then we strike from the shadows." There was plenty of agreement with this, it was by far the safest of the options. Even Jack had to consider it.

"Uh guys," Ranma started "don't think that's a good idea." Everyone was now looking at him, so he sorted his collar and smiled.

"Why not Saotome?" asked Jack, several others nodding.

"Cuz we won't get another chance like this." Ranma began to explain "Right now they have no idea we know they have an HQ on Mars let alone the capability to get there. The Sectiod we picked up from X-ray Theta says that they are still digging out their big ack-ack guns and that they ain't hurrying.

"As one of the poor saps who is gonna have to fly through their air defence buried is sorta the way I like it. If we let em know we know then sure as hell any drop'll have to be heavy as hell. An while we're doing that who's gonna keep a lid on intecrceptor ops. Goin in with rookies is a recipe for body bag fillin'"

Slather leapt up, "So we nuke em, nuke em till they glow."

"Nah, that suck too." Said Ranma "An you know it. What if we had just burnt out all their ships huh, no psi-ops, no flying suits no nothing. Who knows maybe they're out at Pluto too. We just can't take that risk." By now people could already see what was coming. "There rally ain't an option, we do what we're good at, we go in hot an fast, shoot anything that twitches an then rape their data sources till the pips squeak.

"Sure we don't know what's there, but that ain't never stopped us before. We are the best this planet's got and what-ever they throw at us we can cope with, as long as we can reach it." Everyone in the room could hear the pride and confidence in his voice and few could doubt his ability to back up his words.

"It will be bloody" said Jack.

"So what's new." Ranma replied. " you know we can do this."

"lets Dot the 'I's' and cross the 't's" said Jack. "We go with option three."

------------------------- -----------------------

The briefing room had emptied out only tactical command was left

"Who'd ya need" said Jack

"I'll take all of Alpha team and the best Psi-ops we got" Ranma replied

"Won't leave much load for gear" replied Jack, doing the mass to volume figures. "Wait you can't do this, not enough space."

"huh?" asked Ranma

"You'll need to bring in all your own medical gear, doctors, tech staff, just can't see how you'll get them in one Avenger." Jack replied "Maybe we could outfit a second?"

"No way, just don't have the time. My boys are working back to back outfitting even the first one for he trip." The Chief Engineer, Tomoko butted in."

"So that it what twelve agents tops?" Ranma asked.

"Sorry Kaptain," said the Russian specialist "we will need at least twice the normal load for the engines." He turned to Tomoko "niet?"

"Hai," replied the chief "without extra cladding, cooling and air tanks the engines they will burn. The engines will burnout and you will splat."

"Fuck it," said Ranma. Everyone turned to him, "plan B"

"Care to share?" asked Jack

"All of this is based on SOP's right?" Ranma said referring to standard operating procedures. " we throw them out and start again with what we need."

"I don't like where this is going." Said Tomoko

"Forget flight crew, train Penny and Ace instead, they used to be Air force. Forget engineers, if the ship breaks we'll burst anyway. And forget the docs, you all know there ain't no point." Ranma said, finally voicing the unspeakable. "This trip is one-way, all or nothing, no holds barred." One by one the others nodded slowly

"Shit who wants to go grey" Ranma said smiling.

"Hey" said Jack

"-And senile" Ranma continued.

"Stand down soldier" commanded Jack

"-I mean thirty, jeez you might as well get measured for a Zimmer." Ranma mimed a bad back.

"That's it you are busted" said Jack. "_Private_ Saotome get back in your seat. "Chief how does this change things?"

"A one way trip?" Tomoko asked, Jack and Ranma nodded. "I'll work some figures."

"Meantime we need to work out a bets guess scenario, use what we know to predict what we don't." Jack. "Write the aliens a script and then make em follow it."

"Shit, planning" Ranma joked "I hate planning."

------------------------------- --------------------------

Ranma and the tactical team pulled an all-nighter drawing up possible scenarios, trying to cover every angle. However around four the next morning they had gotted so bogged down tempers were flaring.

"Alright guys," Ranma said "time for a break. Everyone out, grab some ramen and meet back in an hour." Everyone quickly dispersed, with many an ache as they stood. "Shit I hate this thinking crap."

He went for a walk himself, wandering aimlessly around. It wasn't long before he found himself in the number one docking bay. Orange clad engineers were crawling all over the ship, sparks flying from elerium powered cutting torches. The interior was being stripped, the exterior modified beyond recognition.

"What the hell are those blobby things" he mused aloud.

"Mind shields," replied Tomoko in Japanese, suddenly behind him. "course they'll mess with your head being that close to them for so long. An the field strength ain't anything close to what we got here."

"Thought we couldn't make them that small" Ranma asked worriedly.

"Can't," Tomoko replied, "no guarantee it'll work at all, but hey nothing lost if it don't eh?"

"Sure." Said Ranma very much not sure. "what-cha doin' inside?"

"goo," replied Toomoko

"Goo?" asked Ranma.

"You gonna be packed so tight in there that there ain't a chance you'll be able to stand the other side so we ain't gonna try." Replied Tomoko as if he was talking about the weather.

"You're not??" said Ranma starting to really worry.

"Nope we're using a combination of Alien food tanks and surgical techniques to create one big sleeper tank. It will probably work, no real reason it shouldn't" Tomoko replied, almost sounding confident.

"So you're telling me you are gonna drown us in goo and then use bug torture techniques to keep us alive?" Ranma said blatantly confused.

"And fit, don't forget fit. In fact no reason you shouldn't get one hell of a workout while you are on the way out there." Tomoko said cheerfully

"So I'm supposed to be grateful you're turning me into Ranma flavoured Miso?" Ranma retorted

"Uh huh" nodded Tomoko smirking. "What can I say? Rather you than me!"

"This is really starting to suck." Ranma mumbled. He stomped back to the briefing room, even less confident than when he had left. But the walk had done the trick, everyone was back on form and they got straight back to work.

---------------------------- ------------------------- ------------------

"Ready Major?" Jack asked teasing Ranma about his new rank.

"Sure you can't bust me back to PFC after all?" Ranma was sitting in his room, putting the final touches to his dress uniform. All his combat gear was already stowed and loaded and z hour was fast approaching. Just one last thing to do, brief the men. Now that, that was scary, Ranma would rather face an angry Muton commando armed only with a potato peeler than step into that room and have to talk to all those people. "This sucks." He said

"Ranma, You know me, pep talks and jingo and me don't mix but you are doing the right thing and god knows there isn't anyone better at it than you. If anyone can find a way to bring them back alive its you." Jack said, laying a hand on Ranma's shoulder.

"You really think there's a chance" Ranma asked, for once his legendary confidence wavering. Jack looked down at the smaller man.

"Hell yeah." Jack replied, but there was a hollowness to it.

--------------------------- ------------------------------

Alpha Commando was gathered in ranks in the mess, along with the best of those agents selected for advanced Psychic Assault training. Behind them stood a select few of the command staff, In front stood Major RanmaSaotome, medals and all.

"Right guys here's the lowdown. It's the big one. Some weeks ago we kicked an Alien base to shit. Inside we captured an honest to god member of the Alien Shogunate. Kodachi-sama make the fuckwit talk and now we know where his piss-ant friends are hiding. Here-" Ranma pressed a button and a 3d image of a red globe appeared.

"Mars."he said, there were several indrawn breaths. "To be exact, here" the image zoomed, "The Cydonia Highlands. The bastards have built some kind of facility under these pyramid type things. Some where inside it is the queen bee, the bitch that gives all these gits their marching orders.

"We are going there and we are gonna kill it. Kill it and every other fucking thing that walks, crawls or slithers on the whole face of the goddamn poxy world.

"By the time we are finished with this rock its gonna be deader than Friday night round Dr. Jackson's." There was a cry of indignation from the back.

"Now I ain't gonna lie to ya, this one is going to suck. We are gonna be outnumbered and out gunned. From the moment we hit atmosphere till the moment we find a way off that rock we are gonna be neck deep in Alien bastards all of whom at best want to kill you. So this is a volunteers only run, anyone who don't want in don't have to be. Walk away now and you can still hold your head high for every other thing we've achieved." Ranma paused but nobody moved, not even looking around.

"That's what I told the General. We ARE the Best

ALPHA UNDEFEATED!"

From every throat around the room they echoed his cry

"ALPHA UNDEFEATED"

Ten minutes later they were all drowning in goo.


	12. Blood and Fire

Chapter 12 

The depths of space. Cold unfriendly and empty. Except right here. Just entering the gravity well of Mars. There is a ship. Matt grey it looks like a cross between a stealth bomber and the space shuttle Discovery, this particular Avenger had the ugly addition of ominous looking bulges on the topside, mind shielding. Attached under the chin are twin launchers packing the smartest, most destructive payloads yet designed. The twin engines are flaring bright, angling the craft for a hot entry into the Martian atmosphere. Oddly it also seems to be ejecting green sludge out of its rear end.

Inside the craft is no less odd, Alpha Commando and its cut down support staff are busy attempting to put of their battle suits. Plasma weapons are being given their final checks and heavy launchers cleared and calibrated. Among all this bustle one man remains still, Ranma. Sitting lotus at the craft's front, deep in meditation, muscles slowly flexing under perfect control. Ranma had risen before the others, checked the final approach delta-v's and suited up. When he awoke his team he had issued final orders and now he was going about the process of going insane.

---------------------------------

Outside Ranma was wearing the latest in top-end hard shell. Super dense reactive armour, endo-framed, sporting a super-computer team-crystal and powered by a cold fusion cascade cell. Added on the outside of that was a flight unit capable of a full half hour of flight. The whole thing was painted a red-orange distortion pattern, specially designed for the mars mission.

Inside Ranma was empty, all thought discarded, reaching for that perfect emptiness that was Zen-shin, warrior's mind.

---------------- -------------------------

"T minus 5 minutes and counting" came Sarah's voice.

"Alpha locked and loaded" came the voice of Ranma's second in command.

"Psi –ops hot and heavy," breathed Gos, head of the psychic assault team.

"Okay team buckle up we are 5 minutes from hell." Ranma said, his voice cold, emotionless. The team obeyed instantly, a well oiled machine, long bitter experience having forged them into Earth's finest military product.

---------------------- ------------------------

At T minus sixty seconds the LZ came into view on the long range scope and so did they. As soon as this happened the Aliens started to try to bring them down. To begin with it was just occasional bursts but as the master site approached the Avenger began to shudder from heavier impacts.

"We are taking one hell of a pasting here!" shouted Sarah.

"We gonna make it" asked Ranma. Sarah paused for a few heartbeats.

"No, not a chance" she said. "Moment we start final deceleration we are toast."

"Don't slow" replied Ranma turning to the rest of the team. "We are dropping in," he ordered

All of a sudden the whole craft listed, falling off rapidly to port, and the explosion was followed by tearing sounds. "direct hit Port engine." Said Sarah " we are on fire and going Down!"

"Blow the doors!" Ranma ordered still an island of calm. Sarah punched the button and the back doors exploded outwards taking a section of the wall with them. Suddenly the harsh Martian wind was tearing through the compartment. Below the surface of the planet whipped by at near supersonic speeds. Sarah gave a short count and the team jumped almost as one.

There was a moment of perfect stillness, the team hanging there, motionless in air, the vast vista of Mars below. Above them Phobos shined brightly and from below came streams of deadly light. Then the moment passed.

Ranma suddenly found himself hurtling towards a cluster of pyramids, dust filled wind screaming by his helmet. Around him the others were spreading out, driven apart despite their best efforts. He turned in time to see the Avenger's cockpit go up in a fusion-white flare. The pilots would not be joining them after all.

--------------------------------- -----------------------

Gunnery Sergeant Laura Wain was the first person from Earth ever to voluntarily set foot on Mars. It was not a sort landing, her flying suit had malfunctioned and she came down far too heavily on her legs. Nevertheless she was up scant seconds later and already laying down suppressive fire for the others.

--------------------------------------------- -------------

Lieutenant David Hyslop was not so lucky. A bolt of heavy plasma struck him in the small of his back, his flight suit, rather than cutting out, went berserk and propelled him groundwards at an accelerated rate. He hit the ground travelling faster than when he left the plane. Lieutenant David Hyslop truly became one with Mars, with quite an area of Mars.

------------------------------- -------------------------

Even as they left the craft cold tendrils of hate started to brush across the minds of the team members. First to feel the true weight of the assault was Corporal Tupol Kivenski, newly attached to Alpha commando and by no co-incidence the weakest defended member of the team. Every agent was vetted for their psychic ability, those with the greatest potential were assigned to Psi-ops those who were found wanting left without ever knowing the true purpose of the organisation. Tupol was one of the very best, but among the giants of Alpha Commando he carried the flaw. It took less than ten seconds for the Sectiod commander to completely alter his perception of the world around him. Terror soon followed and then darkness. Tupol's last conscious action was to cut his team crystal.

-------------------- -------------------------

"Tupol's gone." Gos reported. So Ranma shot Tupol through the back of the head. Anyone who They could take was worse than a liability, SOP demanded instant neutralisation. Ranma didn't even blink as the man's brains flash fried and exploded outwards scattering themselves over the uncaring sand.

--------------------------------- ----------------

The surface of Cydonia base was hardly crawling with enemies. Five pyramids surround the Base elevator, each one living quarters for some of the Sectoid Top brass. With them were a few drones and little else. Since the alarm had been raised however these numbers were already starting to grow. Flying robotic discs used for sentry duties were already converging and beyond them came heavier flyers armed with much heavier duty soldier types.

---------------- -------------------- -----------------

Alpha commando cut through the local resistance with all the precision of a laser scalpel. No sooner was an alien spotted than Psi-ops would attack and commandos would lay down deadly accurate kill shots.

The Pyramid containing the lift was cracked wide open by a fusion cell missile, a second one following soon afterwards to annihilate the alien response team that had "secured" the area.

Ranma himself dealt with the last of the sectoid commanders by the efficient method of forcefully pushing his rifle butt into the bug's oversized cranium.

-------------------------- -------------------- ------------------

Just over three minutes later the somewhat diminished team was assembled on the elevator and starting their descent into the beating heat of Alien power in our solar system.

"Five dead including the pilots, one injured." Reported Ranma's 2 i/c. "Ammo status good. Morale fan-bloody tastic." There was a moment of real release when it suddenly sunk in how far they had got, a moment that passed even quicker when they all realised how far they had to go. Ranma of course felt none of this, his mind was still racing along absorbing information and adjusting for losses.

----------- ------------------ ------------------

As the lift stopped the team felt the presence of the Alien queen for the first time. The crushing weight of its intelligence descended on all of them for a moment driving out all other thought. The team were immersed among totally alien thoughts, drowning in a sea of emotions and experiences totally beyond human experience.

Then as quickly as it came it was gone.

Ranma's vision cleared, as he flipped to his feet he drew his weapon to firing height. There was no shortage of targets. Plasma streaked out screams answering. Aliens and commandos died the final moments of their lives characterised only by searing pain.

Ranma found himself crouched with his back to a wall, his rifle was smoking and his ears ringing. The weight of the alien mother mind was still there but somehow muted. As he looked around he spotted other members of his team, llike him they were crouched in covering positions. Like him they were porting smoking weapons and still scanning for enemies.

"Count off!" he barked. So they did, and it was not good, seven of his team were still alive including Gos. The psi-ops chief had obviously been injured by the blood running from his ears and mouth but was somehow managing to crawl to cover.

"Gos?" Ranma Asked

"All I can cough cough do to hold off Queen." Coughed Gos around the blood.

"Alpha Move!" Shouted Ranma. The longer they stayed still the more likely the bugs were to get a missile in on their position.

"Sir, holding position!" cried Gunny Laura

"Continue?" voiced Ranma

"Unable" replied the Gunny, another shot to her bad leg had fixed that. So they left her.

"Watch the tube. Protect Gos and aid fallen if poss" ordered Ranma as the team ran off down the corridor.

------------------ -------------- ------------------

The team swept through the building at full tilt. They moved from cover to cover, each individual automatically watching their own fire arcs. Aliens got in the way and then they died. Ranma, as ever, took point. Where others would never have lasted Ranma's inhuman speed kept him dodging and alive. Plasma blasts, acid spittle and the sweeping claws of Chryssalid mankillers all were dodged with inches to spare. Each movement efficient and precise, neither time nor energy wasted. Retribution soon followed, swift and deadly.

All the while the tendrils of hate lashed at their minds, the queen now supported by Ethereal aristocracy. Again training and natural ability was all that stood between the team and oblivion.

------------------ -------------- ----------------

"Major, Alpha four, have located HQ parameter match."

"Roger. Team converge!" Ranma replied. The team moved to the newly discovered location. Slightly off centre of the base's lowest level a secure double door led to a levitation pad. The symbols on the walls and design layout all suggested that this was something special.

"Five and fifteen secure. Twelve and twenty with me." Ranma ordered He and the selected others moved to the base of the pad. "Watch your fire up there. Secondary objective is probably inside." The others were suddenly Very concerned, Ranma NEVER restated mission objectives. Ranma too realised that his mind was slipping back up to normal, the psychic strain of being the prime target was showing. Given time he could restore what was lost but time they did not have, Already they could hear the Gunny's weapon keeping up sustained fire.

"Follow follow!" Ranma ordered and leapt into the ascending beam.

------------------ ----------------------- ---------------

The room above was large, octagonal and populated. Six of the strongest psychic aliens in the solar system, armed with some of the deadliest weapons the Alien civilisation had ever made were topped off by the mother brain itself. It hovered beyond the arrayed seats, surrounded by holographic screens depicting everything from Washington to the corridor below. The alien queen itself was a brown-purple sphere about five feet across, with a band of eyes surrounding its equator. Every yellow eye was spitting alien hate in his direction. The Ethereals opened fire and Ranma almost dodged them all, almost. His own weapon span off in the opposite direction to his dodge, with most of his right arm still attached.

Behind Ranma the other two agents swiftly rose to the fight. Plasma bolts screamed back and forth, to be answered by screams.

And then it was over, only smoke and fire remained. The alien queen, unable to move under its own power remained hovering, silently surveying the scene.

Ranma slowly stood up, his webbing belt tied tightly around his upper arm. He slowly walked over to Lieutenant Porter, who from his position slumped against the wall, handed Ranma his rifle. Ranma slowly turned and raised the weapon in his good arm. He tilted it to check the ammo readout and then drew a bead on the Brain.

"STOP!" It commanded "WE MADE YOU! WITHOUT US YOU ARE NOTHING THOUSANS OF YEARS OF CIVILISATION CANNOT BE UNDONE BY SUCH AS YOU –" the alien's tirade was cut short by a burst of plasma. Gore, bone and brain sprayed across the screens surrounding the dying queen.

-------------------- --------------------- ------------------

As the queen died the psychic connections that bound its servants were suddenly severed, leaving them alone for the first time in their existence. The result was shock and paralysis.

At that instant the Alien threat from above was dead.


	13. Dinner for two

** Chapter 13**

"Dr Kuno" Nabiki called out. She was just returned from the new underwater X-Com facility nicknamed "Atlantis." As she was heading to her office she ran into the elusive doctor. Dr. Kodachi Kuno was one of the strangest recruits X-Com ever got. She had been found in mental asylum, placed there by court order after an "incident" at her university. She was, to put it simply, brilliant, and less politely crazy as a march hare. Her first speciality was pharmaceuticals her second was psychology. She also frequently combined the two.

"Tendo-san" the doctor purred, "I am happy to finally see you." The way she looked at Nabiki was an odd cross between condescending and leering. "I had not expected you to call on me, you always struck me as more…dominant." Nabiki couldn't help but feel that she had lost the thread of the conversation. As the black-clad doctor moved towards her Nabiki stood her ground. Then Kodachi was in her personal space, only just not touching. Nabiki could feel the warmth of her body radiating through the satin dress, could feel the doctor's breath on her face moving down to her neck, disturbing her hair. She could smell the odd rose scented perfume that the woman wore, it seemed to ignite a fire in her veins.

However Kodachi was right, Nabiki was not the submissive type. She fought the woman's fire with her own ice. Nabiki smirked, "I can see how you caught Major Saotome." She placed one hand against the well-developed chest of Dr Kuno and exerted a tiny bit of pressure. Dr Kuno stepped away, pouting slightly but with humour in his eyes. "And for the record, the right person…" Nabiki left the thought unfinished and walked off, perhaps adding a little extra sway to her shapely hips.

------------------- ------------------------- ---------------------

"How's it going sub-side?" Jack asked Nabiki as she walked into his office, as usual having failed to knock first. He noticed she seemed unusually happy with herself. Nabiki turned to look at him as he talked, her hair flipping as she did.

"Ask Kodachi" Nabiki said, and then left.

"Huh? What the hell does that mean?" Jack said to her retreating back, "And when did my office become a corridor? For that matter does nobody say Sir anymore?"

----------------- ------------------- ------------------------- ------

Ten minutes later Nabiki stopped. She was sat at her desk and had come across a report, that in itself was hardly odd, she dealt with hundreds. What was odd was that this one was about a specific drug. What seemed like am age ago she had found a bottle of it in Ranma's kit bag. It had been the first clue that Ranma had been into something really big. And here in front of her was a report on the same drug and its countermeasures.

"Subjects show distinct resistance to adverse effects.  
Query: Advanced metabolisms of agents make them resistant to side-effects.  
Query: Alien regenerative techniques combat cellular collapse?  
Finding: In all test subjects cellular collapse has been significantly retarded by Dr. Kuno's retroviral agent. Life expectancy significantly increased.  
Nabiki was up and running, the dates of the study were early enough, perhaps…. 

------ ---------------- ----------------------

Nabiki pushed her way into Dr Kuno's lab flushed from the run. The Black clad maniac whirled around, something vaguely resembling a whip in her hand, her eyes flared.

"OhohohohohohOhoho" She laughed "Very well Tendo perhaps I will change-"

"Hush" Nabiki interrupted suppressing a shiver. Nabiki walked over to a desk, ignoring the pulsating specimen jars and steaming retorts. "I just got this" she said laying out the report. Kodachi's indignance warred with her curiosity, in the end playing with her new toy won. She walked over to Nabiki, leant up against her and covered the Ice-queen's hand with one of her own.

"Yes" she purred "one of my many successes. What of it?" Nabiki in turn suppressed a totally different type of shiver, whatever that perfume was it was no less potent this time. She turned to meet Kodachi's gaze, inches from her own.

"Operation Starhammer, did they get the antigen?" Nabiki asked, her voice hiding her own reaction to this predator.

"What is it worth?" Kodachi said, raising the hand to her lips, and releasing a slow breath across Nabiki's palm. Nabiki just raised an eyebrow. Kodachi kissed the other girl's fingers, "What will you surrender to me?" Nabiki withdrew her hand, stroked her nails down the other girl's face and breathily whispered her reply.

"You tell me first, and perhaps we'll 'talk'" Kodachi pouted again and leant back against the desk, stretching her lithe body out for inspection.

"Ranma darling will not die because of me" Kodachi answered. " he was always an avid participant in my 'trials'" Nabiki attempted to conceal her relief but knew immediately she had been unsuccessful. She gathered herself to leave, but as she reached the door Kodachi spoke once more, "Meet me for dinner tonight and perhaps I will satisfy your other questions"

-------------

Nabiki returned to her office at a far more sedate pace, deep in thought, absent-mindedly chewing a pencil. As she arrived Jack was leaving his office.

"Oh no." he said "what ever it is I am gone. Talk to someone else"

"Jack," she said, "Not your problem." And then she shut the door behind her

"Dismissed" he replied ironically.

--------------

Nabiki was working late in her office that evening when the door opened. A large hamper with legs walked in. Nabiki raised an eyebrow. The hamper was put down revealing what appeared to be a short weasely ninja. Who proceeded to ignor her as he carefully tidied her desk to one side, erected a table and began to lay out crockery for two. Nabiki sat back. "Am I in your way?" she asked slight sarcasm showing.

"No mistress" replied the ninja, starting to lay out candles. Nabiki was amused by the sheer amount of stuff that was coming out of the hamper. "Not that I object but do I know you?"

"No mistress" replied the Ninja "You have never seen me before." HE finished by pulling out a wine stand, complete with bucket and chardonnay. It was duly placed to the right of the other setting. Then he bowed and struck a gong, which had suddenly appeared from his sleeve. In walked Kodachi, complete with sable rose detailed black slinky dress and long black gloves.

"I forgive you" said Kodachi in a way that made it clear that she did not. When Nabiki started to talk Kodachi interrupted. "No, no need for excuses, you may make it up to me later." The doctor then seated herself at the other place and proceeded to pull off her gloves. "Sasuke" she called to the ninja "you may pour the wine." The ninja scrambled to obey, all speed and little elegance.

"Nevertheless Kuno-sensei a little more warning might have allowed me to change." Said Nabiki with a wave at her uniform. Kodachi looked her over, lingering at the revealed cleavage.

"Sasuke, the dress" Kodachi ordered, clapping her hands. The diminutive ninja suddenly revealed a silken ice-blue dress, cut anything but conservatively. Nabiki raised her eyebrow and slid her chair out.

"If you wish some privacy I can turn my back" leered Kodachi.

"A girl must have some secrets" replied Nabiki. Kodachi immediately swivelled on her seat, Sasuke turning his own back as well, but only after he endured a few seconds of Nabiki's questioning glare.

Figuring that one or the other would probably have some way to watch Nabiki milked the change for everything it was worth. Seconds later the choking sounds from Sasuke and reddening of Kodachi's neck confirmed her guess.

"Thank-you Kuno-sensei," said Nabiki "I must compliment you on your taste." The Tendo daughter stood there in the long dress, smoothing out the hips. She was quite simply stunning, the dress hugged all the right curves and split high enough at the leg to tease but not reveal. It even had a diamond cut from the front, perfectly positioned to make use of the girl's ample bosom.

As the two 'guests' turned Nabiki could swear that she heard Kodachi's heart leap into her throat, and Sasuke's stop altogether. Nabiki's smile was all victory.

The two shared a very civilised meal, with some light flirting and some excellent wine. Poor Sasuke's blood pressure was constantly in danger levels, many times he promised himself a cold shower and a lie down the moment he was released for the night.

As the table was cleared away conversation turned to more direct matters.

"You seem quite concerned about Major Saotome, am I to understand that you are involved with our pig-tailed hero?" asked Kodachi.

"We became involved while he was on leave" replied Nabiki.

"Yes he was ordered to take some time off before he left, I had forgotten." Said Kodachi, even though it was clear she hadn't. "That can't have given you much time together"

"Long enough," replied Nabiki, stating her claim.

"Of course, forgive me, I did not mean to diminish what you had together. I was merely wondering how well you actually knew him" replied Kodachi, claws barely concealed behind her words.

"What Ranma and I HAVE together does not seem to require that many words." Replied Nabiki, with only a trace of anger.

"Once more it seems I have touched a nerve, I trust you will forgive me again." added Kodachi

"Of course Kuno-sensei." Nabiki replied, seemingly sincere. "Since we seem to have the time to spare, perhaps you could share some more of what you know about him"

Kodachi seemed thoughtful for a moment.

"Yes, I think I might enjoy that. But what to tell, what to tell." She was enjoying keeping Nabiki waiting, finding the power quite a thrill. "You have already seen his combat record I presume?" when Nabiki indicated not she continued "of of course, its sealed how could I forget. Something else perhaps, a little history.

"You must be aware by now that Ranma as a soldier goes well beyond exceptional, but do you know why." This time Kodachi made Nabiki ask

"No Kuno-sensei I do not, perhaps you could tell me?" Nabiki's voice showed none of her annoyance, but inside she quietly swore to make the strange doctor pay. Kodachi smiledher own little gloat and spoke with growing relish.

"Many years before he joined X-Com, when Ranma was still just a child his father had put him through a terrible training regime. One form was especially interesting, the Neko-Ken. Designed to create the ultimate martial arts form it had been long outlawed for the cruelty of its methods. Genma took the six year old child, wrapped him in fish sausage, tied him hand and foot and threw him into a pit of starving cats. The idea of course was to get the child to learn to imitate the skills and abilities of an angry cat, using chi to make up for his non-feline deficiencies. Of course nobody told Ranma this so he could not learn the technique with his usual alacrity. It took several attempts before Ranma finally snapped, and in his insanity he unlocked the secret. Not only could he assume the advantages of a cat but the simplistic mind that came with it. In his deranged state Ranma believed himself to be kin with his tormentors. Ranma had become acutely afraid of anything feline, should he be unable to escape them by normal means then he would escape into his own mind.

When Ranma joined X-Com we quickly became aware of his problem, fortunately for everyone concerned his doctor was somewhat more enlightened than usual. After consulting not only top psychologists but also eminent martial artists I developed an inspired treatment programme. Instead of slow acclimatisation I aimed to complete the training. The old masters explained the main concept of Zen fighting, absence of self. The idea is that ordinarily when you receive stimulus your brain translates the information, the brain filters and makes the necessary decisions and action follows, a Zen fighter on the other hand seamlessly blends thought and action. No translation occurs, thus no information is lost. A Zen fighter achieves unity with his surroundings through the absence of self. The Cat-fist is a shortcut to Zen emptiness. What I did was seal the options, when Ranma couldn't escape his tormentors he went cat. When he still couldn't escape he was forced to adapt again. Over the weeks of treatment he continued to find new ways, and I continued to block them up. Along the way Ranma learnt and adapted, gradually clawing higher levels of thought back for his madness, he achieved an amazing level of self-awareness. And eventually Ranma learnt the Zen-Shin, or no-mind, technique, and by now he is a master. Due to excess-stimulus he still has problems remembering everything while "under" but now all his skills, abilities and adaptive training are available to him. Simply put in that state he is capable of perceiving more information than humanly possible, and reacting to it as faster than it occurs.

I think you will agree that between the two of us we achieved something quite remarkable." Kodachi seemed momentarily lost in her own self-satisfaction. Nabiki on the other hand was appalled by what amounted to sanctioned torture.

"He let you do this to him?" she asked the crazy woman

"Oh I doubt he has much idea of just how we made such breakthroughs, the drugs I had him on will have made most of it seem dreamlike and fuzzy" replied Kodachi regretfully.

"Are you sure?" asked Nabiki

"No, somehow it didn't seem significant." Responded the doctor, coming back to the ordinary world.

"And you did this to someone who you had a relationship with?" asked Nabiki incredulously.

"Oh-hohoHOOHOHOOHOHOHOH" Laughed the madwoman, grating her nails down the metaphorical blackboard. "No we had our _relationship _well after that" Kodachi leered the word. "He didn't come to me till his little world fell apart."

"Go on" said Nabiki icily

"He was injured in a particularly vicious mission, leaving his gaijin whore to look after herself on the one that followed. Needless to say the little bimbo couldn't manage and got her violent little ass waxed. She lasted just long enough to reach the emergency bay and die in his arms.

"Afterwards the poor little lamb was completely lost, heartbroken and adrift. I took him in and ran his life for him. Sure I had some fun along the way but he was hardly objecting. Not that he could with what I was dosing him with." Kodachi was smiling through her remembrance. Nabiki on the other hand felt a cold chill, no matter how loopy this woman appeared it seemed the truth was worse.

Nabiki left soon afterwards, any hint that she was fleeing the nutbar would be overstated.

-------------- -------------------- ------------------- ----------

The next day found her in her office, once again sorting through miles of requisition forms and reports. All of a sudden the Low Earth Orbit Alarm blared. This was very bad news, it had not gone off since operation Starhammer succeeded. For it to sound meant that an unidentified vessel was entering Earth's atmosphere from space. Suddenly Nabiki was fighting the urge to cry, "All that pain all those good people lost and now this! Damn it just wasn't fair!" she avoided even thinking his name.

She sat there clutching her pen and holding back the tears.

Suddenly her door was being opened, it was Jack. Instead of saying anything he just beckoned. Nabiki drew down her mask and answered with just an eyebrow.

"Come on" Jack ordered, "you want to see this" When Nabiki didn't move he grabbed her hand and pulled her along to the command centre. "There" he said

On the wall was a screen

On the screen was an alien Battleship

On the Battleship was a logo

A large red Alpha with a rearing horse superimposed.

Ranma was coming home.


	14. An ending?

Chapter 14

The Battleship landed on an island close to the Okinawa Base shortly after midnight. By the time it touched down support teams were already in place. The area had been cleared and prepared, everyone from engineers to doctors were standing by. Along with some heavy ordinance, were interceptor jets and tactical teams, nobody was taking a risk of turner troops.  
The four large thrusters touched down and became silent. From the centre of the craft a bright orange lift extended. Beta team moved to cover the doors which in turn slowly cycled.

Standing there on Earths soil for the first time in nearly six months were the remnants of Operation Starhammer.

"Open your minds!" shouted a Psi-ops agent through a loud haler. Seconds later the team came under a sustained assault from a huge number of minds. Gos alone could have swept the probes aside but this was something the survivors had primed themselves to expect.

"Team down" Ranma ordered slowly. As the agents left the lift they kneeled and those that could placed their hands on their heads. Scanning teams rapidly approached, looking for anything from plague to explosive implants.

"Clean" shouted the Psi-ops leader.

"Bout time" muttered Gos. "Bloody slacker, a guy's gone two seconds and already they start takin' it easy ungrateful…." He trailed off muttering unintelligibly.

One by one the doctors concurred, and the Team were allowed to stand up.

General Jack approached "Guys you care to explain this" he gestured at the ship behind them, "couldn't you find me something smaller?" Ranma flipped his empty sleeve in a mock salute.

"Sir General Sir, Private Saotome requesting permission to kick your ungrateful ass Sir" said Ranma with as straight a face as he could.

"Denied Soldier. Besides you might need a hand to even get close." Replied Jack

"This soldier admits we are a little short-handed, but claims its not his fault Sir" retorted Ranma.

"Any idea where you left it?"

"Sir, no, sir lost it kicking Bug queen floaty ass Sir"

"Lost it! My aren't we getting careless." Jack finished as he clapped his arm around Ranma's shoulders. "I always knew you were coming back," Jack said somewhat unconvincingly, "Nope wasn't worried for a second."

"It was real rough" Ranma said quietly. Jack just nodded.

"Anything I need to know right now?" the general asked

"Only that you need a shave sir" replied Ranma cheekily. Jack just swatted him.

"There's someone waiting to kick your ass back on base" Jack replied deliberately vague.

"I thought she had moved on to pastures new" said Ranma, "You gotta keep her away" Ranma really looked worried, "Not for me but her laugh, its bad for the troops" he finished unconvincingly.

"Yeah the troops" said Jack, "Okay I'll tell Nabiki that you don't want-

"NABIKI?" Ranma shouted.

"Yeah, Sam recruited her soon as you were… dismissed" Jack finished in the direction of Ranma's disappearing back.

-

The helicopter flight seemed to take forever, Ranma repeatedly needing to be told to sit back down. He fixed his hair, fussed over his jacket and tried to buff his boots.

"jeez" said the co-pilot to the pilot "you'd think he'd never been-" whatever he was going to say was cut short when he saw the burning glare from their VIP passenger.

-

Nabiki was waiting in the helicopter hangar, outwardly so calm that the hangar crew were actively avoiding her. Inside was turmoil. She had read the quick report that had been sent on the way in.

Five survivors from the whole expedition, two of them maimed and another only holding onto life by the bearest thread. The survivors had spent nearly two months in freefall, subsisting on scavenged slave rations and minimum oxygen levels.

A helicopter touched down, a great black beast used for fast evacuation, its side door was sliding before it landed.

A dishevelled looking figure jumped out. He was wearing what looked like a shortened Battle gear plug-suit, one sleeve cut away from the shoulder down and open to the waist. The pigtail was intact and the cocky smile. His eyes, however held a hollowness that was all new.

Ranma saw her frank appraisal, and fought down his concern. His hand reached up behind his head, which in turn bowed slightly forward.

"Uh hi Biki-chan, I'm er sorry bout this" he started, colouring. He was cut off by a Ballistic Bob-haired Tendo. Nabiki threw herself into his arms and buried her head into the nook of his collarbone. His good arm wrapped around her and everything was suddenly alright with the universe.

"Took your time Saotome!" Nabiki whispered

"Got hung up out of town, traffic was terrible" Nabiki silenced his jokes with a kiss, a long one. His good hand moved up her back and she let out a purr of satisfaction. And then she hit him.

"Never ever do that again." She ordered

"what, the back thing but I thought-"

"No the nearly getting killed thing" she corrected. "and no more losing bits while you are at it!" she punched him again to illustrate her point.

"Hey, I am an invalid here. No beating on the patients" he turned to protect his injured side.

"Actually he does have a point" interjected a Doctor nearby.

"Doctor Fraser," Nabiki said very definitely "this agent is under my supervision"

"Captain I am sorry but I do need to do a proper physical on your agent" the doctor said with genuine regret. "You can have him back straight afterwards."

Slowly Ranma and Nabiki were separated, they kept eye contact until he was through the door. Nabiki stood for moment gathering herself, smiled and left.

"Sheesh I didn't know she ha it in her" said one crewman to another

"Bastard Saotome gets all the hottest ones." replied the other.

-

The physical was long, painful and far too in depth for Ranma's liking.

"Okay Saotome, scram" said Dr. Fraser.

"You mean it?" he asked

"Yes we are finished for now and you…..can go" she said trailing off because he was no longer here to tell.

First he tried her office, nobody there. So he asked Drew, who said she hadn't been back. Then he tried the mess, and again struck out. Finally he got directions to the room she used while on base. He opened the door but the lights were out so he turned to leave.

"Like to keep a girl waiting don't you stud?" came a woman's voice.

"Nabiki?" he asked

"Shut the door Saotome!" she ordered. So he did. There was just enough light in the room to see her rise from the bed. She beckoned he obeyed. They kissed passionately and Nabiki's nightgown hit the floor.

A little while later Nabiki reached out and turned out the light. AS she did a hand ran up her spine.

"Again?" she purred.


	15. Continued

Continued in **_From Heaven's Hand_**

Just a few notes first

Thank-you to everyone who got this far.

And a BIGGER thank-you to everyone who reviewed. It really makes a difference to me to know you guys are reading my stuff.

I have had a couple of requests for lemons. Sad thing is its not really the sort of thing that I want to write. I am however more than happy to have other people's works put up alongside mine.

S if you feel like filling in some of the gaps I have left in the story please do. Just tell me where I can read em' If I like them I'll add a link. If not I may just be pushed into writing my own version.

There is an awful lot more of this story I want to write so I hope some of you will stay for the long-haul.

Chris  
aka  
Ar-Kaos 


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